Martin Ssempa is a Ugandan pastor and founder of the Makerere Community Church. He has been an AIDS activist for two decades^[2] and has been influential in shaping Uganda's national AIDS policy.^[3] Ssempa's international influence has been expressed through his working with a branch of the United States Agency for International Development (the U.S. civilian foreign aid program), specifically the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR,^[4][5]

He has co-authored Uganda’s 2004 "Abstinence and Being Faithful" AIDS policy, (a revision of the previous ABC Program: Abstinence, Being Faithful, and Condom Usage), and is the special representative of the Task Force on AIDS of Ugandan First Lady Janet Museveni.^[4] He has testified before the US Congress on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.^[6]

Ssempa has previously been associated with Rick Warren's Saddleback Church HIV/AIDS Initiative^[7] and served as keynote speaker at Rick and Elizabeth K. Warren's Disturbing Voices AIDS conference. ^{[citation needed]} However Warren has since distanced himself with Ssempa and severed ties in 2007.^[8]

Ssempa rejects Separation of Church and State, opposes a condom-inclusive approach to AIDS prevention (notably burning a case of condoms in the name of Jesus),^[9] and supports abstinence plus fidelity education in the fight against HIV/AIDS.^[10][11] Ssempa claims to be leading a crusade to "kick sodomy out of Uganda, endorsing proposed legislation in Uganda that makes certain homosexual acts punishable by life in prison or even, in some cases, death."^[12]

Early life

Martin Ssempa was born in Naluzaale, Masaka District, Uganda in 1968 to a single mother. He did not know who his father was. His mother was a teacher and he changed school often as a child. Ssempa went to Kimanya Primary School in Masaka and St. Peter's Primary School in Nsambya. He then went to Rubaga Boys' Secondary School, before he completed his A level at Namilyango College. As a teen he became a celebrity in East Africa as the national break dancing champion.^[1] In 1988, Ssempa was admitted to Makerere University.

During this time both his brother an sister contracted AIDS. Ssempa sat by their beds as they grew sicker. When they died in 1990, he blamed their promiscuity and feared that his lifestyle would also lead to his death via AIDS; thus, he decided to take action. Ssempa gave up his dream of being a celebrity and dedicated himself to Jesus Christ at the Wandegeya Baptist Youth Centre. ^{[citation needed]} He traveled the country with a drama group that performed in schools trying to educate students about AIDS.^[13]

Ssempa graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Science with a specialization in sociology. Ssempa received a Masters of Arts degree in counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University.^[1][14][15]

Activism

Ssempa has advocated a cessation of tribal rivalries and hatred in Uganda.^[16]

He is a strong advocate of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill (which would give the death penalty for some gays and lesbians),^[17] with his actions including showing gay pornography in his church with the intent to further anti-homosexual sentiment.^[18] This tactic was widely criticized by the international community, some of whom called for Ssempa's arrest. ^[19] U.S. President Barack Obama called the action "odious".^[20]