UGANDA ETHICS MINISTER: WE ARE TOLERANT OF GAYS

Uganda’s appallingly misguided Minister for Ethics, Simon Lokodo, has defended his country’s pending Anti-Homosexuality Bill, laughably insisting that his government is tolerant of gay people.

In a video interview with AFP, Lokodo – a former Roman Catholic priest – was asked how he reconciled his stance towards homosexuality with Pope Francis’ more tolerant position.

Lokodo replied outrageously: “The Pope says we should be tolerant and forbearant. We are tolerant. That’s why we are saying we are not slaughtering them [gay people].”

“Let them come and we will help them come out of this unfortunate situation. It’s like a drug addict. A drug addict is not an innate situation. It’s acquired,” he said.

“So we are saying; anybody found committing these incredible and abominable acts should be checked and isolated from society. That’s why we are saying; if you are found practising it we shall take you to the cell,” Lokodo added.

Lokodo, supposedly an authority on ethics and morals, previously appeared to imply that heterosexual rape is more morally acceptable than consensual homosexual behaviour because with heterosexual rape they are at least “doing it right.”

He’s previously compared same-sex marriage to bestiality, has threatened to ban NGOs that support LGBT equality and has personally accompanied police in raids on LGBT rights workshops.

Anal sex between men is already illegal in Uganda, with penalties including life imprisonment. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill extends the ban to any kind of same-sex sex and punishes “aggravated homosexuality” with life imprisonment.

In addition, anyone who “aids, abets [or] counsels” any gay person and anyone who rents a home or room to a gay person could also be sentenced to seven years in jail. The bill further includes criminal penalties of three to seven years in prison for anyone who fails to turn over gay people to the police or anyone who “promotes” homosexuality.