On Wednesday, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda called on Members of Parliament to reconsider the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, which was passed by parliament last month and has been widely criticized in the West.
The bill proposes harsh penalties for individuals engaging in same-sex activity. In a letter to the house, Museveni stated that there should be a distinction made in the bill between being a homosexual and engaging in acts of homosexuality.
He proposed a provision that would ensure that a person believed or suspected of being a homosexual, who has not committed a sexual act with another person of the same sex, does not commit an offense.
Museveni emphasized that while Ugandan society does not accept homosexual conduct or actions, the proposed law should be clear to avoid criminalizing a person’s deviant proclivity but rather the actions of one acting on that deviancy or promoting it in any way.
Additionally, he highlighted that the duty to report acts of homosexuality presents constitutional challenges and could lead to conflicts in society. The president also called for the law to facilitate the rehabilitation of gay people seeking help.
The bill proposes life imprisonment for anyone engaging in same-sex activity and the death penalty for repeat offenders, according to activists. The legislation has been condemned by various organizations, including the European Parliament, the White House, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.
Despite homosexuality being criminalized under colonial laws, there has never been a conviction for consensual same-sex activity since Uganda gained independence from Britain in 1962.
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