Parliament of Uganda will reintroduce a private member’s Bill against homosexuality, according to Speaker Annet Anita Among.
Speaking at the Ecumenical thanksgiving Prayers for the 11th Parliament as House resumes from a two-week long recess, Among said Uganda must resist any behavior that contradicts or destroys values and culture of the people of Uganda.
“We gathered earlier today to dedicate Parliament to the Lord, and I pledged to the Country that a Bill will be introduced as soon as possible to deal with homosexuality and lesbianism. We shall Jealously protect our cherished values and culture,” said a tough speaking Among.
“We do not appreciate their (LGBT community and its supporters) money they are bringing to destroy our cultures. We do not need their money, we need our cultures, and on that note therefore, as an institution of Parliament, an institution of this country that passes laws, tomorrow, we are going to bring a bill against homosexuality,” added the Speaker.
This comes nearly ten years since President Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law in 2014, becoming the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), 2014. However, it was later annulled by Court for having been passed by Parliament without the required quorum of two thirds of all MPs.
Now, Speaker Among says, this time no excuse should be given by MPs for not being available to support the new bill. This, she said as she appealed to religious leaders to keenly watch actions of legislators in relation to the same.
“I want to request religious leaders that this time round be there to see ‘who is who?’ We will not allow that excuse of saying there was no quorum, now we are going to vote by show of hands. You are either for homosexuality or you are against. We want to see the kind of leaders we have in this country,” noted Speaker Among.
The development comes amid reports of growing homosexuality in the country including promoting it on social media with reports suggesting that gay groups and their networks, are now targeting learning institutions as major recruitment centres.
While signing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law in 2014, President Museveni flanked by ministers, MPs and senior health practitioners, said people who engage in same-sex relations are mercenaries recruiting young people into gay activities to get money.
“Homosexuals are nurtured but not natured. No study has shown that one can be a homosexual purely by nature. Since nurture is the cause, that is why I have agreed to sign the Bill into law,” Museveni said.
This, however, provoked international outrage, with Western countries threatening to stop providing aid to government. Among the countries that went ahead with this move was the United States.
“I encourage the US government to help us by working with our scientists to study whether, indeed, there are people who are born homosexual. When that is proved, we can review this legislation,” the President added.
The law became contentious because, according to proponents, it was aimed at “upholding and protecting Uganda’s cultural values against Western culture”. Those against the law said it was too harsh and against fundamental human rights.
The law, among others, prescribed tough penalties such as life imprisonment for aggravated homosexuality and same sex marriages, and a minimum of seven years in jail for other related offences.