Micheal Kabunga, chair of the Kampcon 2028 Worldcon bid, has announced they are no longer bidding to hold the con in Uganda. The proposed host city has been changed to Kigali, Rwanda.
The convention name will be “ConKigali”. The main host venues would be the Kigali Convention Center and Radisson Blu Hotel. The event would be held August 23-27, 2028.
The sponsoring organizations are Inema Art Center Kigali and Kampcon Fandom Foundation, reported to be nonprofits but not tax-exempt.
Kabunga explains the change: “This resolve is met to offer a Worldcon host city proposal in Africa that is welcome to everyone, free of any biases from community or area legislation for all members to freely attend and with flexible visa options.” He says that with Kigali, Rwanda as the host site the original objections to the bid have been resolved.
There has been much discussion about the proposal to hold a Worldcon in Uganda because its harsh laws make it a dangerous place for LGBTQ+ people. In contrast, the Wikipedia article “LGBT rights in Rwanda” reports that while it is not without issues, “Rwanda is a signatory of the United Nations joint statement condemning violence against LGBT people and is one of only a few countries in Africa to have sponsored the declaration… Rwanda and Djibouti are the only East African countries where homosexual acts are legal.”
The bid website — Kampcon 2028 – is in the process of being updated. (At this writing it still shows the old Uganda site information.)
The Kampcon bid has submitted a new FAQ to Glasgow 2024 which can be downloaded here.
The members of the bid committee are Micheal Kabunga, Innocent Nkuruziza, Magala Simon Peter, Mutyaba Charles Reagan, Namirembe Juliet Mayinja, Charles Mugerwa, and Julius Katende.
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OK … but Rwanda is still an autocratic state? It ranks even lower than Uganda on Freedom House’s index and The Economist’s Democracy Index. How is this possibly any better?
@Michael Brooks:
Well, at least they don’t kill gays?
https://freedomhouse.org/country/rwanda/freedom-world/2024
What a joke.
US State Department 2022 Summary on human rights there: Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention; political prisoners or detainees; transnational repression against individuals located outside the country, including killings, kidnappings, and violence; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including threats of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists, and censorship; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental and civil society organizations; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; and serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations.
They may not specifically target gays, but they’re quite happy to lock you up based on “public morality” laws that are conveniently vague.
Ranking even lower than Uganda on the Freedom House index and the Economist’s Democracy Index is not objectively better than Uganda.
No click box. Bad Jetpack.
Rwanda is a great idea. I missed Chengdu and Glasgow but would make extra effort for that. Radisson Blu popped up in the top hits for gay friendly / LGBTQ welcoming Kigali.
“Like Rwanda’s any better?” was my instant thought. And lo, the Filers bring details. No, it’s worse!
Still a big nope from me. And the hotel and convention center are yet to be built.
I know there have to be decent governments somewhere in Africa. Why don’t they pick one of those countries?
It’s going to go in a landslide for Brisbane. I’m going to be in LA when the voting goes on, and I can vouch for me and all my friends supporting Australia. They have experience (in other cities, but still). LGBT+ attendees won’t be risking their lives. Nobody’s internet will be censored for looking at hentai.
That is a very good question. According to Freedom House, there are indeed several countries in Africa that score above 70, which they consider fully free. (Of course, they each have their own problems; no free country is perfect, except for Finland apparently.)
It makes me very suspicious. Autocracies of all kinds are working together more and more to maintain their power. It’s really kind of insulting, though, to respond to concerns by picking an objectively worse country. Then again, China only scored 9 on the FH index, so both Uganda and Rwanda would actually still be improvements over 2023. Yay?
The previous UK administration booked some accommodation space in Rwanda which now appears to be available.
Freedom House in 2023 said Cabo Verde (92), Mauritius (85), São Tomé and Príncipe (84), Ghana (80), South Africa (79), and Seychelles (79) are the region’s highest-rated countries.
It might also be worth checking out crime rates for these various countries. For instance, the murder rate per capita in South Africa is more than seven times’ that in the USA.
Out of Uganda, into Rwanda. Bye-bye frying pan, hello fire.
Doesn’t anyone remember the massacres in Rwanda in 1994? Three months of mass murder and rape! Something like half a million killed, and almost as many raped. The Rwandans followed that up with an invasion of Zaire which killed 200,000 more.
This is no improvement at all. Why don’t they try Kenya or South Africa?
Rwanda doesn’t just kill gays. It kills everyone.
Is this a joke?
Kigali is a great host with it’s EcoNOmic development the convention center has hosted the FIFA AWARDS THE FORMULA 1 AWARDS AND ECONOMIC FORUMS
THIS IS TO PROVE THAT KIGALI HAS THE CAPACITY TO HOST THIS EVENT LIKE ANY OTHER EVENTS THEY HAVE HOSTED BEFORE Go Kigali Go Kigali #visitrwanda
Let us not forget Germany and its history and yet they have held a WorldCon.
Is it time that people need to forget about a country’s atrocities or is it the colour of one’s skin that really matters where a Worldcon is held?
From the state department report of 2022 regarding Rawanda,
“The law prohibits making use of speech, writing, or any other act that divides the populace or may set them against each other or cause civil unrest because of discrimination. Conviction of “instigating divisions” is punishable by five to seven years’ imprisonment and a substantial monetary fine. Authorities applied the laws broadly, including to silence political dissent and to shut down investigative journalism. The law also prohibits spreading “false information or harmful propaganda with intent to cause public disaffection against the government,” for which conviction is punishable by seven to 10 years’ imprisonment. ”
I’m not worried about the color of anyone’s skin. I am worried about the ability of the participants to publish and celebrate their work.
Worldcons should not be held in dictatorships, and Rwanda qualifies.
It can’t be a worldcon unless it has been elsewhere in the world! Most of the bids are hosting this more than once or twice, leaving Africa in a limbo yet their millions of science fiction fans in Africa and untapped potential in the artists industry. I call upon the society not to judge us by our history but appreciate the efforts to we are putting forward to make Africa a better place. Most of the comments are biased but I invite you to make time and read the Bid document that was submitted at Glasgow by Kampcon 2028 which shall authoritatively exhibit Rwanda’s ability to host the Worldcon in Africa. It’s a beautiful country with very rich history having received its independence in the late 90s but has tremendously improved in its social, political and economic welfare hence a very reputable Environment to host the Worldcon. #Conkigali# Africa fandom
@Steve Gibson: raises eyebrow, says “Indeed” in British accent
@Jeanne Jackson: That was the first thing that sprung to my mind as well!
@BIPOC: Considering Germany has had a change of government since 1945 (two changes for the eastern part), that’s a very specious point to raise and I may have to call Mr. Godwin.
@Cat: Cabo Verde seems nice. Lovely islands and they focus on tourism. Plus their currency is pegged to the euro. Getting a tropical island vacation with your Worldcon would be fun.
So I looked up Rwanda more today, and it’s smack in the middle of a zone marked red on the world map. That whole section of Africa is. This was from a company who advises and manages on risk for businesses and travelers outwith USA and Canada, and they weren’t at all impressed.
The Nordic countries rated very safe; can someone get up a bid for Iceland? Filking by the just-passed midnight sun! Plenty of flights! Another scenic island!
To the locals — Worldcon has been hosted many places.
Just last year it went to China, which is no bed of roses for free speech or LGBT+ people, and also has a thriving fannish culture of millions of non-white people. Everyone who went enjoyed it.
There was a very organized, well-liked bid for Yugoslavia — at the time a Communist dictatorship by strongman Tito — but that fell through for the reasons there isn’t a Yugoslavia any more. Americans and Europeans were perfectly willing to go there too. Even in the Reagan/Thatcher years! We were excited at the prospect of getting to meet Russian, Polish, Czech, etc. writers and fen.
Events in the US/Canada nowadays often include a recognition and moment of silent reflection to the native tribes whose ancestral land was stolen from them to build the site, and invite members to speak.
We’re looking at the statistics, and neither the North American nor European nor Antipodes fen are comfortable with going there. I’m sure you’ve done many great things, and there are a number of really impressive writers coming from Africa, but people are worried about their physical safety and freedom to speak, because things are still dangerous there.
Also, listing Formula 1 and FIFA being there is NOT a selling point. The latter is one of the most corrupt organizations on Earth, and both have enough money to hire all the private security (with guns) that they want to keep everyone in a safe bubble, and cooks to deal with dietary needs. Worldcon doesn’t have that kind of cash, unless you’re working with a budget many times higher than any con has before.
Tell me honestly a gay man (of any race) can walk down a street in the nice part of town and kiss his husband while opining they don’t care for the anti-free speech attitude of the government with no one caring a bit. Or that two young attractive women could do that and not be catcalled or groped, and they need gluten-free non-allergenic food so as not to die.
There are places in the US that Worldcon isn’t going to be coming to any time soon — especially subject to who wins the election. Nobody wants to go to Florida or similar states. Nothing racial at all, just an objection to local policies. Which is why the next two Worldcons are on the safer West Coast and still may have Europeans boycotting.
(Also, please don’t type in ALL CAPS. It’s rude and makes you look like this is your first day on the internet.)
Rwanda could be for Worldcon what Nyota Uhura was for Star Trek.
@lurkertype looking up is good but have you actually travelled to Rwanda ??? please excuse MY ALL CAPS we recently celebrated pride month here in Kigali have you looked it up??????? have you ever heard of anybody being discriminated
against because of his sexual orientations please do your research again and you will actually see that we have experienced first hand the type of discrimination thru xenophobia racism but we stand strong and we will never let that type of behavior
determine who we are NOW OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE
SO WHAT IS WORLD CON IF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT CANT HOST ONE ???? AND RWANDA HAS THE CAPACITY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WE ARE HOPING THE BID CAN PASS THRU AND IT WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY IN AFRICA TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS THRU WORLDCON GO KIGALI GO P.S EXCUSE MY ALL CAPS.
@Lurkertype – There are many reasons to not want the Kigali bid, but the hotel and convention center not being built isn’t one of them – they already exist.
@Gibson – Yes, I have looked up Kigali Pride. An article from 2023, the first year it was held, says this: “LGBTQ Rwandans say they are often fired, evicted, equated with demonic creatures, and in the case of coming out, family members and friends are threatened with violence and forced to leave the country.” I’m pretty sure that counts as “being discriminated against because of sexual orientation.”
I do think that Rwanda is a better choice than Uganda, but it is a country at war. I would very much like to still believe that Paul Kagame is a democratic leader but, alas, it doesn’t seem to be true any longer. And they are in part responsible of what is happening in Congo… I mean, they history of that part of the world is complicated and horrible, and nobody’s hands are completely clean although the current leadership was very much not involved (unless it was as victims) in the Rwandan genocide. But… I would say not yet.
Ghana would be a much better choice.
Also, I don’t think any of the bid committee have any experience in international fandom, or am I mistaken?
Are there any regional pan African conventions? that would give me more confidence.
Putting human rights aside, the bid mentioned one hotel with under 300 rooms but at least it is in town so there may be nearby hotels. How is the place for single women. The US State Department Travel advisory says it is level 1, exercise normal precautions. I just looked up the United Kingdom which I just came home from. (Felt safe, no problems, Denmark had more signs warning of pickpockets etc.)The US State Department has them at Level 2! This is due to terrorism incidents.
Kigali is much safer to visit than Chicago or Glasgow.
I really want to see a Worldcon in Africa eventually. But I interpreted for a Rwandan survivor of torture in court, which was a harrowing experience even for me as the interpreter, so I don’t think Rwanda is a suitable location for a Worldcon at this moment. Note that the torture case happened in 2022, not 1994. The torture survivor in question initially fled to Uganda of all places (which is apparently safter than Rwanda, unless you’re LGBTQ) before making her way to Europe.
So I’m sorry for the team behind this, but I don’t see myself supporting this bid.
Also, speaking as a non-American, the US State Department warnings are weird to me. For example, a few years ago, the US State Department honestly warned of visiting Christmas Markets in Germany due to the terrorist attack on Breitscheidplatz in Berlin. I go to the Christmas Market every year and greatest danger there is having too much mulled wine or Feuerzangenbowle. BTW, according to the US State Department, Germany is currently at level 2 because of alleged terrorist threats. I feel totally safe here in spite of level 2.
Basically, the US State Department travel advisory feels to me as if the German foreign ministry (which only issues travel warnings for active war zones and the like) would issue a travel warning for the US, advising people to keep away from Walmarts and McDonald’s, because there have been mass shootings in these places.