By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Supporters of gay rights in Uganda have appealed to the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni to reject the bill criminalizing anyone who publicly identifies as a sexual minority or engages in same-sex activities passed on Tuesday by the parliament.
The bill expected to become law when the president assents to it during passage at the Tuesday plenary only received one dissenting voice.
389 lawmakers attended Tuesday’s debate for the final passage of the bill, an indication of support meant to ensure the act does not face the same fate as a previous Anti-Homosexuality Bill that was annulled due to an inadequate turnout in parliament.
Penalties in the bill include 20 years in prison for so-called promotion of homosexuality and child recruitment, while “attempted homosexuality” calls for 10 years in prison.
The bill prescribes death penalty for anyone who forces children, people with disabilities, people with mental illness and those of advanced age into an act of homosexuality.
Reacting to the bill on Wednesday, Tigere Chagutah, regional director of Amnesty International in East and Southern Africa in a statement said the Anti-Homosexuality Bill amounts to a grave assault on LGBTQ people and is contemptuous of the Ugandan constitution.
Also, an Amnesty International regional researcher, Roland Ebole said the bill, if signed into law, will encourage anti-LGBTQ activity.
“And it is very vague in terms of what this promotion is when it says promotion of homosexuality,” Ebole said. “This provision will encourage homophobia, it will encourage discrimination, and will discourage human rights advocates and nongovernmental organizations from carrying out their work.”
Legislator Fox Odoi was booed when he presented a minority report that said the bill was misconceived and the current penal code act was sufficient to deal with matters related to homosexuality.
“It was introduced during a time when anti-homosexual sentiments have been whipped up across the country and is not based on any factual or evidential value to show incidents of homosexuality have increased and require additional legislation,” he said.
He added, “Right honorable speaker, according to the annual crime police reports, incidents of homosexuality have been reducing in Uganda.”
After six hours of debate, the bill was passed with legislators singing the national anthem in celebration.
