The Uganda’s parliament was set to vote Tuesday on anti-gay legislation which proposes tough new penalties for same-sex relations in a country where homosexuality is already illegal.
Under the proposed law, anyone in the conservative East African nation who engages in same-sex activity or who identifies publicly as LGBTQ could face up to 10 years in prison
According to Robina Rwakoojo,the chair of the legal and parliamentary affairs committee, which has been studying the legislation said
“The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is ready and will be tabled (put) before parliament for a vote this afternoon,”
“We have heard from the supporters of the bill and those against it and we have made our recommendations for consideration by the plenary,” Rwakoojo told journalists.
Discussions about the bill in parliament have frequently been laced with homophobic rhetoric, with President Yoweri Museveni last week referring to gay people as “these deviants.”
“Homosexuals are deviations from normal. Why? Is it by nature or nurture? We need to answer these questions,” the 78-year-old said.
“We need a medical opinion on that. We shall discuss it thoroughly.”
Though legislator Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, who belongs to Museveni’s National Resistance Movement party, told journalists that he opposed the bill and was prepared to speak out against it in parliament
“I am ready to present the minority report before parliament when we convene today because it is my civic duty to promote a just society”.
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