Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, has condemned Uganda’s new laws that seek to criminalize homosexuality and sentence those found guilty to live in prison.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chagutah urged President Museveni to veto the ‘appalling legislation,’ claiming that the hastily drafted legislation amounted to a grave assault on LGBTI people and violated Ugandan law.
“This ambiguous, vaguely worded law even criminalizes those who ‘promote’ homosexuality or ‘attempt to commit the offence of homosexuality’’ Chagutah said in the media statement.
Instead of criminalizing LGBTQI people, Amnesty International believes Uganda should protect them by enacting laws and policies that adhere to the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined not only in Uganda’s Constitution but also in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Following a highly charged and chaotic session, Uganda’s parliament passed sweeping anti-gay legislation on Tuesday, proposing harsh new penalties for same-sex relationships.
“The ayes have it,” parliamentary speaker Annet Anita Among said after the final vote, adding that the “bill passed in record time.”
Legislators amended significant portions of the original draft law, with all but one speaking against the bill.
Homosexuality is already illegal in the conservative East African nation and it was not immediately clear what new penalties had been agreed upon.
MP Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, who spoke against the bill and who belongs to President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement party, told AFP that under the final version of the legislation, offenders would face life imprisonment or even the death penalty for “aggravated” offences.
“This House will not shy to restrict any right to the extent the House recognises,” Among said.
The bill will next go to President Museveni, who can choose to use his veto or sign it into law.
The legislation enjoys broad public support in Uganda and reaction from civil society has been muted following years of erosion of civic space under Museveni’s increasingly authoritarian rule.
Nevertheless, the 78-year-old leader has consistently signalled he does not view the issue as a priority and would prefer to maintain good relations with Western donors and investors.
Discussion about the bill in parliament was laced with homophobic rhetoric, with lawmakers conflating child sexual abuse with consensual same-sex activity between adults.
