Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, has assented what the West claimed to be world’s strictest anti-LGBTQ+ law, which pronounce punishment on homosexual activities. The action has been met with tremendous criticism from Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community, as well as the Western world.
Anita Among, Speaker of the Ugandan parliament, confirmed Museveni’s approval of the bill today in a message posted on social media. The bill prescribes the death penalty or life in prison for specific homosexual crimes. The sentencing could span from 1 to 20 years in jail for “recruiting, promoting, and funding same-sex activities,” and a 14-year sentence for those found guilty of “attempted aggravated homosexuality.”
On March 21, all but two of the 389 MPs voted in favor of the bill. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the bill as “shocking and discriminatory.” Museveni had 30 days to assent the bill, veto it, or send it back to parliament for redress. In April, the President sent back the bill to parliament and asked them to rethink. However, if the president had returned the bill the second time, it would have nonetheless become law without his signature.
“The president has assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Act. The Ugandan parliament has responded to the screams of the people. To safeguard the sanctity of the family, laws have been passed,” Anita Among message read. “We have stood strong to defend our culture and the aspirations of our people,” she averred, applauding the President for his “steadfast action in the interest of Uganda.”
The speaker demanded that the Judiciary should immediately start implementing and interpreting the new laws after the MPs had overcome intimidation from “bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists.”
International Outrages At Museveni
Museveni has drawn a lot of criticisms from the Western leftists. “We are appalled that the draconian and discriminatory anti-gay bill is now law,” UN stated in a press release. It is an assured way of routinely infringing upon the rights of LGBT people and other members of society. It should be subject to an urgent judicial review because it contravenes both domestic and international laws.
However, in a joint statement, the officials of UNAids, the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria expressed “deep concern” and stated that progress against HIV and Aids have “now in grave jeopardy.”
“The stigma and discrimination associated with the passage of the act has already led to reduced access to prevention as well as treatment services. Trust, confidentiality and stigma-free engagement are essential for anyone seeking health care,” the statement read.
“LGBTQI+ people in Uganda increasingly fear for their safety and security, and people have been discouraged from seeking vital health services for fear of attack, punishment and further marginalisation,” the statement also said, and signed by Peter Sands, Winnie Byanyima and John Nkengasong.
“President Museveni’s decision to sign the anti-homosexuality act 2023 into law is deeply concerning. This act violates basic human rights and sets a dangerous precedent for discrimination and persecution against the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda. As we have seen in the past, such laws can lead to increased violence, harassment and marginalisation of already vulnerable groups. It is important that we stand together in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda and around the world and fight against bigotry and hate.”
Steven Kabuye, Kampala Human Rights Activist.
Moreover, 110 members of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda filed complaints to the advocacy movement Sexual Minorities Uganda (Smug) in February alone, including arrests, harassment, evictions, and being forcefully undressed in public. The group claimed that transgender people were significantly affected.
“It is wishful thinking to assume a piece of bogus legislation will erase the existence of LGBTQI+ persons in Uganda!” Sarah Kasande, a Kampala-based lawyer and human rights activist said. “Queers are Ugandans, they belong to Uganda, no stupid law will ever change that.”
