President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has refused to sign into law an
anti-gay bill passed by the country's parliament, which is aimed at
imprisoning not just homosexuals, but people who talk about it without
condemning the lifestyle. The
President in a letter to the Country's parliament speaker said
homosexuals are 'abnormal' but could be 'rescued' by improving the
economy.
"Even
with legislation, they will simply go underground and continue
practicing homosexuality or lesbianism for mercenary reasons. You cannot call an abnormality an alternative orientation.
It could be that the Western societies, on account of random breeding,
have generated many abnormal people." President Museveni said
In
December 2013, the Ugandan parliament passed its anti-gay bill going against
the President's advice and now seeks his assent. The President had initially advised that the homosexuality
situation in the country be studied deeply and carefully before any laws
against the practice be enacted.
The Ugandan anti-gay bill seeks to make all form of homosexual
activities a criminal offense to be punishable under law. Homosexuals
can get as much as a life term imprisonment punishment. Also anyone who
knows a homosexual and doesn't report such to police authorities would
also face some sanctions if found wanting.