UGANDA’S DEATH BILL TO BE REVIVED?

A new report claims that Uganda’s dreaded Anti-Homosexuality Bill is about to resume its passage through the country’s parliament.

According to UGPulse, a letter was sent to MPs last week from the parliamentary clerk’s office advising that the Business Committee would be meeting on the Bill today.

This suggests that the Bill could now be back on track to resume the parliamentary process, despite earlier reports that it was dead.

In January, Uganda’s ambassador to the United States insisted that the Bill would not be taken up by parliament again.

“…contrary to popular belief, it is not being reconsidered,” said Ambassador Perezi K. Kamunanwire in a letter.

It is believed that if put forward for a vote in parliament the Bill has significant support and is likely to pass.

Originally introduced in October 2009, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill allows for the death penalty in cases of “aggravated homosexuality” and includes various criminal penalties for anyone who fails to turn over gay people to the police or anyone who “promotes” homosexuality.

Last month, South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki, came out against the Bill, saying that it “doesn’t make sense at all”.