South Africa’s opposition leader Julius Malema on Tuesday, April 4, led protests against a Ugandan law passed recently that makes it a criminal offence to be openly LGBTQ+.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led protesters to the Ugandan High Commission in Pretoria to condemn the controversial bill seeking life imprisonment for same-sex relations.
According to the bill, the death penalty can be invoked for cases involving “aggravated homosexuality” – a broad term used in the legislation to describe sex acts committed without consent or under duress, against children, people with mental or physical disabilities, by a “serial offender,” or involving incest.
Speaking during the protests, EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo termed the bill as “inhumane”.
“The EFF reiterates its utter condemnation of the inhumane anti- LGBTQ bill Bill passed by the parliament of Uganda on March 21, 2023. Fundamentally, the parliament of Uganda has legalised bigotry,” Thambo stated.
On his part, Malema appealed to Uganda to reverse this decision saying it fuels hate and discrimination which could turn fatal.
You cannot promote hate and then fold our arms and don’t show the Ugandan government that we don’t agree with hate. We are victims of hate. We were discriminated against on the basis of our identity and as a result, so many people were killed and this law that is passed in Uganda is going to be an act of hate,” he said.
The Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023 had been introduced in Uganda by an opposition lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa saying it aims to “protect our church culture; the legal, religious and traditional family values of Ugandans from the acts that are likely to promote sexual promiscuity in this country.”
“The objective of the bill was to establish a comprehensive and enhanced legislation to protect traditional family values, our diverse culture, our faiths, by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex and the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex,” Basalirwa stated.
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CIC @Julius_S_Malema leading the Picket Against Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill at the Ugandan Embassy today in Pretoria
Governments & Authorities shouldn’t impose their subjective interpretations of sexuality on ordinary citizens.#GayRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/3QQ97947vF
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) April 4, 2023
