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Ugandan President Museveni Monday signed an anti-gay Bill into law following improvements adopted to make it tougher for people engaging in homosexual activities.
“President Museveni has executed his constitutional mandate as prescribed by Article 91 (3) (a) of the 1995 Constitution- and assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023,” Parliament Speaker Anita Among said on Monday.
“We have stood strong to defend the culture, values, and aspirations of our people as per objectives 19 & 24 of our national objectives and directive principles of state policy,” the Speaker added.
The Ugandan Parliament passed the new anti-gay legislation on May 2 after an initial draft on March 21 sparked condemnation from the international community.
Only one of the 389 MPs initially voted and passed the Bill changed and objected to the new law.
According to the Bill, attempted homosexuality will attract a 14-year jail term and up to 20 years for promoting homosexuality, while recruiters of children into homosexuality will get a ten-year jail sentence.
The Bill signed in May 29, imposes the following penalties on offenders.
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Death for persons convicted of aggravated homosexuality
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20 years in prison for persons committing or promoting homosexuality or recruiting children to homosexuality
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14 years in prison for persons guilty of attempted aggravated homosexuality
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10 years in prison for persons convicted of attempted homosexuality
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10 years in prison for owners of a premise that promotes homosexuality
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3 years in prison for a child guilty of homosexuality
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1 billion Uganda Shillings fine and 10-year license revocation for media house that publish materials that promote homosexuality
PRESSURE PILES ON UGANDA AFTER ANTI-GAY BILL BECOMES LAW
Ugandan activists have called on international donors to impose sanctions on rights abusers after President Yoweri Museveni signed an anti-gay law described as one of the world's harshest.#Uganda #LGBTQ
1/ pic.twitter.com/uk1Wq3YfDD— Africana Voice (Formerly Hotseatnews) (@AfricanaVoice) May 31, 2023
Pressure piles on Uganda after the anti-gay Bill becomes law
Ugandan activists called on international donors to impose sanctions on rights abusers after President Yoweri Museveni signed an anti-gay law described as one of the world’s harshest.
President Museveni defied warnings that approving the Bill against homosexuality would strain ties between Uganda and key foreign partners and aid donors, including the United States of America.
“This is a key time for stakeholders, such as the US and the EU, to move forward with sanctions against Ugandans implicated in human rights abuses,” a coalition of Ugandan activist groups said on Monday.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that he was “very concerned” by the new law, saying “no one should be penalized, jailed, or criminalized for whom they love.”
“The secretary-general has been very clear and continues to call on all member states to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, intimating that some UN work in Uganda could be stopped because of the law.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the Ugandan government was obligated to uphold the rights of all its citizens, and “failure to do so will undermine relationships with international partners.
The US Monday revoked the visas of Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament Anita Among after the anti-gay Bill became law.
The Speaker revealed that President Museveni had signed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, introducing harsher punishments and fines for financiers and promoters of homosexuality in Uganda.
Kenya Human Rights Commission condemns Museveni for the anti-gay law.
Kenya Human Rights Commission Monday condemned the move by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to sign the anti-gay Bill into law.
KHRC said the legislation violates the basic human rights principles and undermines the dignity, freedom, and equality of LGBTIQ+ individuals in Uganda.
“We, the undersigned LGBTIQ+ organizations strongly condemn the recent assent of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda by President Yoweri Museveni,” the statement read in part.
“We stand in solidarity with LGBTIQ+ organizations in Uganda, strongly condemning the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. It violates human rights, undermines dignity, and restricts freedom. Love, identity, and consensual relationships should never be criminalized,” KHRC added.
Be ready for sanctions: US tells Uganda after Museveni signs anti-gay Bill into law
President Joe Biden Monday announced the US is considering applying sanctions on Uganda after they signed an anti-gay bill into law. Biden condemned the enactment, terming it as a “democratic backsliding,” adding it risks denying Ugandans services they benefit from the US.
“And we are considering additional steps, including the application of sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption,” Biden said.
Here is the complete statement:
The enactment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act is a tragic violation of universal human rights—one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country. I join with people around the world—including many in Uganda—in calling for its immediate repeal. No one should have to live in constant fear for their life or being subjected to violence and discrimination. It is wrong.
Since the Anti-Homosexuality Act was introduced, reports of violence and discrimination targeting Ugandans who are or are perceived to be LGBTQI+ are on the rise. Innocent Ugandans now fear going to hospitals, clinics, or other establishments to receive life-saving medical care lest they be targeted by hateful reprisals. Some have been evicted from their homes or fired from their jobs.
And the prospect of graver threats—including lengthy prison sentences, violence, abuse—threatens any number of Ugandans who want nothing more than to live their lives in safety and freedom.
This shameful Act is the latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Uganda. The dangers posed by this democratic backsliding are a threat to everyone residing in Uganda, including US government personnel, the staff of our implementing partners, tourists, members of the business community, and others.
As such, I have directed my National Security Council to evaluate the implications of this law on all aspects of US engagement with Uganda, including our ability to safely deliver services under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other forms of assistance and investments. My Administration will also incorporate the impacts of the law into our review of Uganda’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). And we are considering additional steps, including the application of sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption.
The United States shares a deep and committed partnership with the people of Uganda. For more than 60 years, we have worked together to help millions of Ugandans live healthier, more productive lives.
Our programs have boosted economic growth and agricultural productivity, increased investments in Ugandan businesses, and strengthened our trade cooperation. In total, the US Government invests nearly $1 billion annually in Uganda’s people, business, institutions, and military to advance our common agenda. The scale of our commitments speaks to the value we place on this partnership—and our faith in the people of Uganda to build for themselves a better future. It is my sincere hope that we can continue to build on this progress, together, and strengthen protections for the human rights of people everywhere.
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