The United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations have expressed concern over a bill approved in Uganda, which provides for punishments for homosexuality that could even reach life imprisonment. The United States has threatened Uganda with sanctions because of the law that punishes Homosexuality.
Various agencies have asked President Yoweri Museveni to suspend this law, as it is a questionable decision.
Adultery was traditionally prohibited in Uganda, but there were no serious penalties in the law.
The bill, which was approved on Tuesday, includes a ban on promoting and supporting extremist groups and their activities, and that extremist activities should be punishable by life imprisonment.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, urged Museveni not to pass the bill into law.
“If signed into law, it would criminalize girls, boys, and gays, just for being who they are,” he continued. The United States has threatened Uganda with sanctions because of the law that punishes Homosexuality.
United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, wrote on Twitter that Uganda should reconsider the decision, as it threatens “the basic principles of human rights for all Ugandans, and could reverse the steps that have already been taken against AIDS.”
The Anti-Homosexuality Act passed by the Ugandan Parliament yesterday would undermine fundamental human rights of all Ugandans and could reverse gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We urge the Ugandan Government to strongly reconsider the implementation of this legislation.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 22, 2023
The Office of the President of the United States of America, the White House, on Wednesday announced that there may be economic sanctions, because of this law that punishes those who cheat.
Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: “We need to look at whether or not there will be other decisions, possibly economic if this law is passed and goes into effect.”
Kirby said that the law’s enforceability is something they are very concerned about.
The British Minister for Africa, Andrew Mitchell, also expressed his disappointment with the decision.
The United Kingdom says it can borrow from the discrimination and persecution of these people in Uganda.
The son of President Yoweri Museveni, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Wednesday, wrote on Twitter that he heard some foreign companies started saying that they could leave Uganda, because of the law.
Last week, the Ugandan Police arrested six men suspected of terrorism-related activities in Jinja town.
I hear some foreign companies (I don't know which ones) want to leave the country because we passed the Anti-homosexual bill. We are willing to help them pack their bags and leave our blessed country forever! Uganda is God's country! We will actually thrive without them.
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) March 22, 2023
