Uganda President Museveni refuses to sign anti-LGBTQ bill

KAMPALA, UG — (04-21-23) — President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda announced on Thursday that he would not sign an anti-LGBTQ Bill into law, a controversial new bill against homosexuality that prescribes the death penalty in violation of the anti-Human Rights law.

Museveni’s decision was announced late on Thursday after a meeting of parliamentarians in his ruling party, almost all of whom support the anti-LGBTQ bill that was approved by lawmakers last month.

However a spokesman for the presidency said Museveni was not opposed to the punishments proposed in the bill, but wanted parliamentarians to look into “the issue of rehabilitation”.

“[Museveni] told the members that he had no objections to the punishments but on the issue of rehabilitation of the persons who have in the past been engaged in homosexuality but would like to live normal lives again,” spokesman Sandor Walusimbi said on Twitter.

“It was agreed that the bill goes back to parliament for the issues of rehabilitation to be looked at before he can sign it into law,” Walusimbi added.

Homosexuality is already illegal in the East African country under a colonial-era law criminalising sex acts “against the order of nature”. Currently the punishment for homosexuality behavior is life imprisonment.

However Museveni is also under pressure from the international community to veto the anti-LGBTQ bill.

The United States has warned of economic consequences if the legislation is enacted. A group of United Nations experts has also described the bill, if enacted, as “an egregious violation of human rights”.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

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