Desire Luzinda; Those Photos!!!

By Arthur Katabalwa.

Desire Luzinda.

Last week we were going on about the physical attributes of Leah Kalanguka, Miss Uganda 2014. By the way I met her last Friday evening. Don't believe the hype; Meet her in person then you will all swallow your tongues. She deserves the crown, physical attributes and all. She is no airhead either. At least she can hold a decent conversation over an extended period of time without interruption from her media minders.

But that story has been overshadowed by Desire Luzinda. Those photos!!For those of you who are not aware of the brouhaha caused by Ms Luzinda, a number of photos popped up on Facebook where she has not a stitch of clothing on her more than ample body. One or two are far too close to the subject matter that one wonders how one actually got that in focus. Anyway.....

The jokes around town are that many men (and I know some women) got what they have been wishing for. To see Ms Luzinda naked. Now I can bet countless phones have these photos and at least now one has the perfect excuse to have one or two dirty photos on their phones. And if there is anyone who keeps up with social media trends who sanctimoniously says they have not had a peek, they are lying! Yes, I have, without shame seen the whole set!

The debates raging in Uganda and I suppose abroad vary. Was it wise to take photos for a Nigerian boyfriend in such poses? Was it actually clever to take these photos? There are many arguments for and against. But for me I will firmly side on Ms Luzindas' side.

The premise that she is a celebrity in Uganda and that she should therefore uphold a different moral standard only holds water in my view up to a certain point. One of my closest girl friends here in Kampala who is quite famous and very pretty has said one thing to me in defense of Ms Luzinda. "At the end of the day, Desire wants to be loved.  People forget that no matter where society or privilege of birth puts you, when those doors are shut, and you are with someone whom you absolutely love and trust, it doesn't matter if you are a Princess, a celebrity or someone who is very wealthy. As a girl, you just want to be loved. Even if he is an ogre."

Those photos, I assume, were taken in the same vein. The issue that they then showed up on line should not be as much as a problem for Desire, but for the fact that her ex boyfriend has abused her trust. When we are all intimate with our partners, we don't expect these moments to become fodder for the public. It should not matter the manner by which people end their relationships, discretion is of utmost importance. People should learn to let go of past relationships with magnanimity and move on otherwise the past may hold your present hostage.

The advent of quick file sharing platforms means that such images are crisscrossing the internet and WhatsApp in huge numbers. Let us not go on and pontificate about whether it is right to take such photos. Many people have a use for them and that should be left as such. If one is the type where sex is a mundane chore with lights turned off just before you go to sleep; if that's what turns you on then why not? If on the other hand people enjoy the use of such as those photos that are doing the rounds, then please make sure that you are exchanging those photos with someone with whom whose trust can run beyond the date when you break up. All I ask is that people have an open mind. And for Desire my message is that by Friday this week all will be forgotten and forgiven I promise.