By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
NATIONAL
Ina vivid move, youth leaders in Uganda have called on the speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Anita Among, to consider the country’s Penal Code instead of tax payers money on the Anti Homosexuality Bill.
The Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 was passed by the Parliament of Uganda on 20th December 2013 and signed into law by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 24th February 2014. However, the Constitutional Court of Uganda ruled that the Act was invalid because it was not properly passed into law.
During a press conference that took place today at Makerere University guest house, the youth leaders led by Akampa Tanbull called on the speaker of Parliament to consider the existing Penal Code, which already has provisions for dealing with cases of homosexuality.
They said that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is redundant and the resources being used to push for its enactment could be better used to address other pressing issues in the country, such as the ever-rising corruption, poor infrastructure, and poverty.
“The bill was deliberately intended to divert the efforts of citizenry action against corruption, for example on the 28th of February after the Karamoja Iron sheets scandal was exposed by the operatives of this government, parliament came up with a bill on anti-homosexuality, this bill was gazetted, it was even given a certificate of clearance, and at the same time got its first reading,” Akampa Tanbull said during the press conference.
“As citizens we have been following closely as a coalition for a better Uganda, we have been observing, and investigating why the anti-homosexuality bill, they are trying to divert Ugandans against the failures of parliament which is supposed to do its oversight role to supervise government programs” He added.
The youth leaders have insisted that there must be something wrong going on, asking why have they given Hon Basalirwa a period of 2 weeks to make sure that they bring the bill for the second reading even when the attorney general of the government of Uganda has advised that it is not necessary to have another law about Homosexuality in the country yet there is one already in place though it’s not enforced.
Parliament on 28 February 2023 granted leave to Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa to introduce a private member’s Bill titled the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023.
Ugandan lawmakers on Thursday 9th March 2023 introduced the bill to parliament that proposes new penalties for same-sex relations in a country where homosexuality is already illegal.
The speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among referred the bill to a house committee for scrutiny, the first step in an accelerated process to pass the proposal into law.
According to the youth leaders coalition, the parliament is trying to overthrow Museveni’s government and even wants to divert Ugandans from asking for the accountability of the resources that are swindled year in year out.
“The parliament of Uganda is trying to overthrow Museveni’s government by turning the west against President Museveni, they are diverting Ugandans from asking for accountability,” they said
