Uganda bill dropped for now

Uganda bill dropped for now

After a global outcry over Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill which saw nearly one and a half million people sign a petition against it in 48 hours, the bill appears to have been dropped from the agenda of the current session of the Ugandan Parliament.

With the session over the bill cannot be voted on again.

However the bill’s author, David Bahati MP has said he will author another similar bill and resubmit it in a future session if this were to occur.

Bahati said a new bill would not contain a clause which mandated the death penalty for persons engaging in homosexual acts who are HIV positive or who were repeat offenders.

However other clauses in the existing bill criminalise any depiction of gays or lesbians in any media, any advocacy or support for gays or lesbians, make attending or entering into a same-sex marriage a crime, and forces people to denounce any gay or lesbian person they know to police or face prosecution themselves and these could be repeated in a future bill.

Uganda already criminalises homosexuality.

Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye (pictured), who prior to this year’s Ugandan presidential elections said he did not support the criminalisation of homosexuality is current in exile in Kenya but is attempting to return.

Besigye was attacked by police with tear gas and pepper spray during protests against high food and petrol prices and left for Kenya to receive medical aid.

However when he tried to return home he was told that he could not board the plane as the Ugandan Government had told the airline they would not be allowed to land with him on board.

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2 responses to “Uganda bill dropped for now”

  1. This is a huge blow to the US evangelical “christians” that have been stoking the fires of hatred in Uganda and who are largely responsible for this evil legislation. I have no qualms in saying that they should be put up against the wall.