KAMPALA-Amnesty International has said that the signing of Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 is a grave assault on human rights and the Constitution of Uganda.
Yesterday, President Yoweri Museveni signed Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 into an Act following his decision to return it to parliament for scrutiny.
The Bill aims at among others protecting traditional families by prohibiting sexual relationships between people of the same sex, strengthening that country’s capacity to deal with emerging threats to the traditional family, protecting the cherished culture of Uganda and protecting children and youth who are vulnerable to sexual abuse.
Flavia Mwangovya, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director said the signing of the bill was a desperately dark day for LGBTI rights and for Uganda. The signing of this deeply repressive law is a grave assault on human rights and the Constitution of Uganda and the regional and international human rights instruments to which Uganda is a party.
She said the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 will do nothing other than enshrine discrimination, hatred and prejudice against LGBTI Ugandans and their allies into law. It’s unconscionable that they risk losing their lives, their freedom, their privacy, their freedom of expression and their ability to live free from discrimination.
“Amnesty International has repeatedly called for this egregious legislation to be scrapped. As we wait for the Bill to come into force. Amnesty International urges the international community to urgently put pressure on the Ugandan government to protect the rights of LGBTI persons in the country. We stand in solidarity with Ugandan LGBTI communities, and all Ugandans affected by this hateful legislation.” she said.
On March 12, 2023, the Ugandan Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, with 387 out of 389 MPs voting in favour. On 21 April 2023, Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni refused to sign into law the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023, sending it back to Parliament in Uganda for reconsideration of several clauses. On May 2, 341 MPs voted for the amended bill and sent it back to President Museveni who assented to it earlier today.
