MPs renew call for anti-homosexual law

PIC: Speaker Rebecca Kadaga (centre), accompained by clerks, entering the chambers of Parliament for a plenary session last week. (Credit: Miriam Namutebi)

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KAMPALA - Parliament has lauded House Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga for defeating machinations at the 138th Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) summit to smuggle a motion on homosexuality and renewed the move for a tough law against the practice.

Last month, Kadaga blasted the IPU president, Gabrielle Barroza, for attempting to smuggle a same sex marriage motion on the agenda without consulting African and Arab representatives whose social values and norms are against the degeneracy.

For her firm stand on the controversial matter, lawmakers last week passed a resolution commending Kadaga and said they would soon reintroduce the anti-gay legislation that was struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2014.

The motion commending Kadaga for upholding and protecting Uganda's cultural values was moved by Nsaba Buturo the Bufumbira East MP and seconded by Lucy Akello (Amuru Woman), Beatrice Anywar (Kitgum Woman) and Denis Obua (Ajuri County).

Kadaga warned the summit in Geneva, Switzerland that if European countries continue pushing for the vice to be legalised, Uganda and like-thinking countries would not hesitate withdrawing from the IPU.

Reminding the IPU delegates that the same issue left the Anglican Church sharply polarised, Kadga said: "Pushing us using underhand methods is unfair and we shall never allow it."

This was not Kadaga's first outburst at international forums where attempts were made to manipulate African countries into accepting the practice. In 2012, the IPU summit in Canada tried to pop up the gay legalising motion, but it collapsed under the weight of stiff opposition.

In his justification, Buturo said since Western countries continue pressurising Africans through threats and manipulation, "the time has come for MPs to seize the opportunity that rejects same sex marriage at once."

Kadaga revealed that during the IPU meeting, countries interested in legalising the practice were trying to pay off delegates from Africa and Arab to speak with them once the motion comes to the floor.

She added that Europeans bully Africans into accepting the practice because they are poor, but countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been able to deport homosexuals without backlash from the west because they (UAE) are economically empowered. 

On her part, Akello said what Europe is promoting goes to the core of family values as the basis of procreation therefore, it should be vehemently resisted.

Commending the junior finance minister David Bahati (Ndorwa West) for sponsoring the private member's anti-homosexuality bill in 2009, Anywar proposed: "Since court frustrated our efforts to protect this country, the time has come to reintroduce this Bill and pass it with care this time round."

Although Uganda's law books prohibit same sex intercourse, critics argue the Penal Code Act is not strong enough to protect children, spread of infections such as HIV/AIDS and curtail promotion.

The Constitutional Court annulled Bahati's Bill that President Yoweri Museveni had assented into law on grounds that there was no quorum while passing it, but now MPs say once the Bill is reintroduced, they will mobilise for attendance and expose colleagues that will dodge the session.

Bahati's Bill had provided for life imprisonment for gay sex, aggravated homosexuality, including with minors or while HIV-positive and seven years jail time or $40,700 fine for promotion of the vice. Cultural institutions, religious leaders and opinion leaders across the divide had welcomed the law.