Homosexuality is publicly unwelcome in most African countries, especially by governments and churches. Uganda among them has revived a bill popularly known as “Kill the Gays” that came to life five years, which imposes a death penalty on homosexuals. It is alleged that there has been massive recruitment by gay people in schools, and especially among the youth, where gay people are promoting the falsehood that people are born like that.
The bill, which has the support of President Yoweri Museveni, will be brought before parliament in the coming weeks and will be voted on before the end of the year.
“Our current penal law is limited. It only criminalizes the act. We want it made clear that anyone who is even involved in promotion and recruitment has to be criminalized. Those that do grave acts will be given the death sentence.
“It is a concern. But we are ready. We don’t like blackmailing. Much as we know that this is going to irritate our supporters in budget and governance, we can’t just bend our heads and bow before people who want to impose a culture which is foreign to us,” said Uganda’s Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo.
When “Kill The Gay” was first signed into law, in 2014, Uganda faced worldwide condemnation, that saw the U.S. reduce aid, impose visa restrictions and canceled joint military exercises. The World Bank, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands also suspended or redirected their aid to Uganda.
If this Bill is ascended into law again, it will see Uganda follow into the footsteps of Sudan, Somalia, Mauritania, and northern Nigeria, where home sexuality is punishable by death and 33 other African countries that have outlawed same-sex actions.
