The United Nations (UN) and the United States Government have come out to condemn the Anti-homosexuality Bill passed by the Parliament of Uganda on Tuesday, March 21.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, described the Bill as draconian and said that it would have negative repercussions on society as a whole and also violates the nation’s constitution. He called on President Museveni not to ascent to it.
“The passing of this discriminatory bill – probably among the worst of its kind in the world – is a deeply troubling development,” he said adding that the Bill, if passed into law, would render lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Uganda criminals for simply being who they are.
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, slammed the Bill saying it undermines the fundamental human rights of Ugandans and would also reverse the gains made in fighting HIV/AIDs.
“We urge the Ugandan Government to reconsider implementing this law,” Blinken tweeted on official twitter account.
The Bill will see those found guilty of the vice face up to 20 years in jail.
The Bill, according to members of parliament, seeks to strengthen Uganda’s capacity to deal with domestic and foreign threats to the heterosexual family will have media personalities found guilty of promoting the vice face up to 20 years in prison.
There have been concerns raised by some activists who said that the Bill is a violation of human rights. The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, however, trashed their concerns saying the cultural norms and aspirations of the people of Uganda will always remain supreme.
“We recognise that the constitution contains non-derogable rights and in this process, the House has striven to recognize those rights…but the norms and aspirations of the people of Uganda will always remain supreme,” she said.
She added: “This House will not shy to restrict any right to the extent of the House that recognises, protects and safeguards the sovereignty, morals and culture of this country.”
