Ugandan Journalist Simon Kaggwa Admits Regret Over "Why Are You Gay?" Interview

Ugandan journalist Simon Kaggwa Njala went viral years ago following his interview with Pepe Julian Onzima, famously remembered for the direct question, “Why are you gay?”

After introducing his guest, Mr. Njala got straight to the point:

“Should I call you Mister? Mr. Pepe Julian Onzima. Thank you for coming in. Good morning. Why are you gay?”

To this, Onzima responded, “Who says I am gay?”

Mr. Njala then said, “You are gay; you are a transgender and a gay rights activist, an outspoken lesbian, homosexual. How should I describe you? Transgender? Were you initially male or female?”

Reflecting on the interview, Mr. Njala has admitted that at some point, he regretted how he handled the conversation with his LGBTQ+ guest.

In a recent interview, he shared:

“At the height of a very heated debate, I invited a lady who had been outspoken on LGBTQ issues. When he turned up the following day, he was a gentleman and not a lady.”

Mr. Njala revealed that he wasn’t sure how he ended up asking those questions, explaining that he had spent the previous night researching Uganda’s laws concerning LGBTQ+ people.

“The original intention was to hear their side as LGBTQ activists, but I failed to ask that question. I felt nervous after the show, but the biggest spoiler was Pastor Martin Ssempa.”

He added that after reviewing the interview, he felt regret.

“I’ve actually watched that show once again, and I think I made a very unfair judgment of myself. I was too naive. I sounded silly by asking silly questions. ‘Why are you gay?’ Isn’t that silly?”

On his Instagram page, the broadcaster pinned a clip from the iconic interview and wrote:

“Posting a clip from one of my old viral interviews—just me, Pepe, and Pastor Ssempa. A lot of people think it was a joke, but I was genuinely curious, trying to understand the LGBTQ+ topic at the time. It’s wild that over a decade later, people still find it hilarious! I’ve finally launched my YouTube channel, and the full interview is up there. Took me long enough, but it’s never too late, right? More content is coming. Your support means a lot—head over, like, and subscribe. Link is in the bio. Thank you all!”