UGANDA ANTI-GAY BILL BACK ON PARLIAMENT AGENDA

Uganda’s gay community is back on tenterhooks following news that the hateful Anti-Homosexuality Bill has once again been placed on parliament’s agenda.

LGBT Ugandans have had to endure years of ongoing uncertainty over the bill, which was first introduced in 2009, but has never been put up for a vote in parliament due to delays and political manoeuvring.

Late last year, Parliamentary Speaker Rebecca Kadaga promised to have the legislation passed before Christmas but parliament closed for the end of year recess before this could happen.

Parliament resumed this week and, according to yesterday’s order paper, the Anti Homosexuality Bill was number eight on the list of issues to be dealt with.

It is believed that if it is voted on, it will receive wide support from MPs. It remains unclear If President Museveni intends to veto the legislation if it is passed by parliament or even If he has the power to do so.

It is also unknown if the version of the bill that is expected to be voted on will include the death penalty clause for repeated ‘offences’ as originally proposed.

Even without this clause, the bill will dramatically further criminalise homosexuality, which is already illegal in Uganda. It will also penalise those who support LGBT people or rights.

Anyone who “aids, abets [or] counsels” any gay person and anyone who rents a home or a room to a gay person would be sentenced to seven years in jail under the proposed law.