Ugandan moral watchdogs are outraged by local girlie magazines but the editors contend they put spice into life, writes Angella Johnson
Ugandan publishers have discovered the maxim sex sells. I did it with an old man and liked it … No to condoms! Women want it live … Why virgins are a nightmare, are just a taste of the lurid headlines you can now find scattered on the pavements of Kampala, where magazine vendors traditionally ply their wares.
But its all too much for Ugandas traditionalists. They are not happy with this Western-style invasion of their usually repressed cultures. Too sexy, complain the countrys church leaders, who argue these local glossies with such titillating titles as Spice and Secrets are corrupting the minds of young people.
But the young, who have grown up in the peaceful prosperity of President Yoweri Musevenis 10-year-rule, have developed an insatiable appetite for the often crude stories and gossip which are a staple for these hybrid imitators of Hustler and You magazines.
I would rather abstain from sex than use a condom, because I feel I must have a drop of warm sperm, proclaims one apparently liberated female in an edition of Spice which features a cover picture of a fleshy teenager wearing nothing but her white crochet top.
The story ends with a comment from the editor advising that the average male ejaculation releases a spoonful of sperm containing only 15 calories, and wont make the consumer fat. With an estimated 1,5- million Ugandans living with HIV, sexual promiscuity is something the authorities are eager to squash. These magazines threaten to turn our society into a bedroom of sexual perversion, screeched newspaper columnist Nightingale Rosemary.
How are we going to protect our children from the four-letter words that are mostly written in these magazines? She argues that they over-stimulate youngsters before they are ready to indulge in sex. Erotic writing sparks erotic responses and encourages people to luxuriate in morbid sexual fantasies and lustful acts. The material is too obscene, vulgar and filthy for our innocent children.
This kind of public outcry has led to calls from some quarters for the magazines to be banned, or at least censored. Father Joseph Mukasa Nkeera, representative for Cardinal Emmanuel Wamake, the Archbishop of Kampala, says the church is in favour of X-rated certification.
We are very distressed about the pornography and the nudie girls talking about sex freely. Our concern is that promiscuity has already led to our Aids epidemic and we dont want to see another wave encouraged by these irresponsible publications.
Father Nkeera says the countrys churches were also worried about the girls (usually from university or secondary schools) who are lured into being photographed to illustrate stories. Its exploiting them, and this kind of thing will lead to a moral decay. He was particularly upset over one front-page photo of a buxom young girl wearing a short denim skirt, who sat with her legs crossed; revealing the crotch of pristine white panties.
Justin Lubwama, senior staff writer at Spice, which was launched in April this year, scoffs as such sensitivity and hysteria. Personally I think the controversy is down to fear of the unknown.
The older generation [of which I suppose I should be included because Im in my 50s] think its going to spoil young people, but we say you cant turn back the clock. This country is moving forward into the 21st century with the rest of the Western world and this is one of the prices you have to pay. He argues there is much more sex and violence on the television and in the movies. OK, I accept that its selling sex, but it really is harmless fun. He claims the stories are educational because they point out the mistakes teenagers get caught up in. I think we are making a positive contribution to our society.
However, Father Nkeera is not impressed with this argument: Sex education, he says, is a complicated thing which needs delicate handling, not this kind of loud sensationalism.
The government is not prepared to step into the fray, leaving it for market forces to decide if these publications have a role in Ugandan society. At a recent meeting between the Media Council and church leaders, it was concluded that a ban was not in the interest of democracy.
But the public seems to be falling out of love with the novelty of these magazines. Although Spice claims to sell 15 000 to 20 000 copies a week, costing either $1 or 1 000 Ugandan shillings, critics say sales are already falling.
I dont buy them any more, said Beauty Omwony, because I think they are making up the stories. At first it was fun, but now they are starting to sound the same.