Speaker Anita Annet Among has said Parliament does not regret passing the Anti-Homosexuality law despite travel restrictions imposed on legislators that supported the controversial legislation.
Among fired back at the United States for cancelling visas of 348 MPs that partook in the enactment of the law and their immediate family members, saying she is happy that president Museveni signed the Bill into law and that Parliament will continue to protect the family and rights of children and Uganda.
“We don’t regret passing this law, and I want to thank the President for really assenting to this law. I am proud and happy with what the President did,” said Among during Wednesday’s plenary session.
“We will continue protecting the family, protecting the rights of our children and our country and we will not live on handouts. My visa was cancelled, have I died? As I have said, so long as you don’t cancel the visa to Bukedea and Buyende, I have my home. I will go there,” she said.
Lawmakers said the Anti-Homosexuality Act is aimed at protecting African traditional marriage and culture.
The new law will see anyone engaging in acts of homosexuality facing 20 years in jail and a death penalty for any one engaging in aggravated homosexuality (homsexual acts with minors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups of people).
The increased measures by Washington against Ugandan officials are likely to further undermine relations between the two countries.
In response to Washington’s actions, President Museveni recently warned that “some of these actors in the Western World overestimate themselves and underestimate the freedom fighters of Africa.”
The President further said “these pressures from outside are joogo (dharau – looking down upon somebody, underrating somebody) towards the Africans and must be rejected. I am told that some of the Arab Countries have similar laws. Why don’t these actors put similar pressures on them?”
MPs blocked
Among consoled all MPs that have been banned from traveling to the United States because of the Anti-Gay law, telling them that they have all they need in Uganda and need not worry about the ban.
“The blacklist that they are talking about, don’t care, don’t worry about that, you have all that you need in this country. So long as your kids aren’t being sodomised, this business of saying you are going to use people’s children must stop,” she added.
Asuman Basalirwa, the mover of the Anti-Gay bill, refuted claims by NUP president Bobi Wine that some MPs were used by president Museveni to pass the bill. Basalirwa noted that some members are under immense pressure as a result of the law.
“It isn’t true that anybody could have used any of us to bring that piece of legislation because in any case, it isn’t new in this Parliament. I am also aware that the forces behind promoting homosexuality are very strong. They have money and influence. And I know that some of our colleagues are under pressure,”he said
Jonathan Ebwalu (MP Soroti West) said his people told him to endorse the bill – which he did, and that “those who don’t want that law let them leave our country (Uganda) and go live in the United Kingdom or United States.”
Ebwalu said MPs will “protect the Anti-Gay law with their blood, sweat and our souls despite intimidation and pressure from foreign players.”
Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 into law in March 2023. The law has since then seen many legislators being banned from travelling to the US, including speaker Anita Among.
The law also saw the World Bank cut its funding to Uganda and negotiations are still ongoing to have the decision reversed.
