Ugandan officials say anti-homosexual law will be passed


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Groups of Christians today demonstrated in Uganda’s capital Kampala against first world donor countries which are against the anti-homosexual bill which was recently tabled in parliament.

The demonstrations were organized by several religious leaders cordinated by the anti-gay pastor Martin Sempa.

The several groups demonstrated on different streets of Kampala, the capital, after which they converged at parliament where they presented a petition with over 50,000 signatures to the deputy speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga. All those who signed say they support the anti-gay bill.

The demonstrators had placards reading, “In Africa homosexuality is a taboo, Donor countries don’t force Ugandans to love homosexuality” and “To hell with those who support homosexuality.”

While presenting the petition, Solomon Sempa said, “The big number of people who turned up for the demonstrations and the over 50,000 sigantures on the petition shows that most Ugandan Christains, and other people at large are against the bill. We are here to show solidarity with members of parliament. We are totally against homosexuality.”

The deputy speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, thanked them for showing solidairty. She said, “I appreciate your efforts to fight against homesxuality in Uganda. We in parliament will play our role so that the bill is passed.”

Just as that was going on at parliament, the minister of state for ethics and integrity, James Nsaba Buturo was addressing the press at a media centre in Kampala where he said that Uganda will not be intimidated by donor countries which have threatened to cut aid to the country if the bill is not dropped.

Nsaba Buturo said, “Uganda is a sovereign state. It’s people know what they want. In Uganda we do not support annal sex. If they support it in their countries that is up to them, but they should not make us do the same.”

Uganda has of recent been in the limelight due to a private member’s anti-gay bill recently presented in parliament by an MP called David Bahatii. The bill seeks the death punishment to any individual who through “aggravated homosexuality” infects his “victim” with HIV-AIDS.

Many international organizations, donor countries as well as some African activists have denounced the bill saying that it is hateful and unnecessarily harsh.

 Also Read: Uganda: Gays, HIV+ people will be killed, sympathisers jailed

Anti-Gay Bill in Uganda  The Anti-Homosexuality Bill introduced in 2009 by MP David Bahati seeks to impose the death penalty on gay men who are HIV-positive for “aggravated homosexuality”. In Uganda today, homosexuality is already a crime punishable by a prison life term. This proposed law would not only condemn HIV positive gay men and "repeat offenders" to death, it would also jail for three years anyone who knows a gay man but refuses to report them to the authorities. In addition to that, anyone who defends gay rights in public will be sentenced to seven years in prison.
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