Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Social Workers Statement on the Anti-Homo Bill 2009
1. Understanding the role of the Social Work Profession:
The National Association of Social Workers of Uganda was established in 1973 to promote the Social Work profession in Uganda .
The Social Work profession exists to promote the well-being of individuals, groups, families, communities and entire nations, through integrated application of knowledge and professional skills to enhance social functioning. Social Work deals with many situations in a state of “dysfunction” and its goal is to restore “social functioning”, defined as “the ability of individuals, groups, organizations, communities and nations to interact in the normal or usual or expected way in society”. Since its emergence as a professional occupation around 1900, Social Work has helped nations to solve such problems as Poverty, Alcoholism, Crime, Delinquency, Prostitution, Child abuse and neglect, Domestic violence, Family breakdown, Mental Ill-health, to mention but a few.
NASWU has noted that on October 14, 2009, Ndwora County West MP, Hon. David Bahati presented in the Parliament of Uganda a Private Member’s Bill titled: The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009. The object of the Bill is: "to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting (1) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and (2) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non-governmental organization inside or outside the country".
Following the tabling of the Bill, a local and international debate has erupted. Views have been expressed in support of the Bill or against the Bill. Such views range from those that welcome the Bill as good and timely to those which question the basis of the Bill. Some of the views disapprove certain provisions in the Bill but agree that the Bill is necessary, while others see the whole idea of this Bill as persecution and violation of the rights of people who regard themselves as homosexual and wish to attain total acceptance in society.
Because this issue falls a great deal in the purview of the Social Work profession, NASWU has deemed it necessary to respond and provide professional guidance in the on-going debate. The purpose of this statement is to ensure that Uganda and other nations in Africa and around the world develop appropriate policy responses to the issue of homosexuality. Professional ethics demand that professional bodies like NASWU provide guidance that is free of political influence; because when wrong policies are developed based on politically-based positions, it is members of the public who suffer or miss out on the good life they could have enjoyed. Ethical practice also demands that where professional errors have been made in the past, they be recognized so that corrective action can be taken for the greater good of society.
2. What do we learn from History?
In this regard, NASWU would like to inform the public that the issue of homosexuality, i.e., the practice of sexual behavior between persons of the same gender, although it has occurred in some societies for millennia, it has been discouraged in most societies as abnormal and harmful behavior with potential to spread in the population once tolerated. In all societies throughout history, it has been self-evident that the normal pattern for human beings as well as for all living organisms in general is for males to unite sexually with females, whether reproduction was a goal for such union or not. In fact, until 1973, the American Psychological Association (APA) listed homosexuality among abnormal conditions requiring the clinical intervention of Psychologists.
However, following widespread circulation of literature developed by Biologist Alfred Kinsey in his studies of human sexuality (Sexual Behavior in the Human Male – 1948) and (Sexual Behavior in the Human Female – 1953) in which he claimed that up to 10% of American society was homosexual, the views of American society towards homosexuality began to change. Kinsey also claimed that it was harmful for people to exercise sexual restraint and encouraged American youth to be sexually active in any manner they wanted, including practicing bi-sexuality. Kinsey invented the term “sexual orientation” which legitimized homosexuality and bisexuality and equated these practices with heterosexuality. It was several years later that Kinsey’s studies were refuted as fraudulent, because empirical evidence showed that those claiming to be homosexual in America at the time were no more than 2% of the population. Kinsey had intentionally skewed his data to support his “political” views about homosexuality and he clearly had intention to create political clout for the homosexual movement. Indeed, the social activism that resulted from Kinsey’s fraudulent claims about homosexuality put so much pressure on the American Psychological Association (APA) that it eventually removed homosexuality from the list of abnormal conditions (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM) in 1972, largely due to the picketing and protests staged at its professional meetings.
In spite of this stand by the American Psychological Association, scientific studies over millennia have consistently showed that there is no genetic basis for homosexual behavior. All authoritative scientific studies, including studies of twins, reject the view that homosexuality is genetic or innate. It is therefore wrong to compare homosexuality with immutable (unchangeable) characteristics like skin color or gender or physical disability, which the individual has no control over. Homosexuality belongs to the category of other disapproved behaviors that humans in most societies recognize as self-evidently abnormal and harmful and require everybody to learn the discipline of avoiding. These norms and values are also often codified into laws that all members of society are expected to observe.
3. Social Work has responsibility to help individuals overcome behavior difficulties:
Given this background of homosexuality as a behavior-management problem, NASWU would like to inform the public that a key function of the Social Work Profession is to assist individuals experiencing difficulties in behavior. Social Workers (especially those who have trained in Clinical Social Work) are usually equipped with counseling skills to assist individuals experiencing irregular behavior patterns including same-sex attraction, and where necessary, referral to other professionals like clinical psychologists or religious leaders (where spiritual intervention is understood and accepted by the client) may be done. Where these interventions have been done properly and ethically, hundreds of people have overcome homosexuality and achieved appropriate social functioning.
NASWU, however, regrets that because of the misinformation and political activism that began in the late 1940s and 1950s, some professional bodies today have taken political positions on the issue of homosexuality to avoid conflict with certain powerful activist groups that have emerged from the gay-movement. Because of the stance taken by some professional bodies, many clients experiencing same-sex attraction are not given proper information and advice about homosexual attraction and its potential to be overcome.
NASWU calls upon all professional organizations worldwide to restore ethical practice by adopting a principled stand on the issue of homosexuality and by putting in place safeguards against political influence in professional decisions.
4. Understanding how human behavior operates:
In considering the phenomenon of homosexuality, there is need to consider how the dynamics of human behavior affect this issue:
1) In behavior management, indulgence in a given behavior conditions an organism to continue exhibiting such behavior with greater intensity, especially where the behavior is accompanied by a powerful reinforcer such as orgasm, which occurs during sexual behavior. Non-indulgence in a given behavior on the other hand, results in a process called “extinction” in which an organism gradually looses the tendency to exhibit certain behavior responses. These patterns have been studied and verified by social and behavioral scientists. Persons experiencing same-sex temptations would therefore be strongly advised to NOT indulge such temptations, but to resist and direct sexual behavior to opposite sex persons.
2) When behavior achieves social acceptance and legal approval, it easily spreads through the process of social learning, experimentation and modeling. This most likely explains why homosexual practice is more prevalent in societies where legal approval and social acceptance are higher. This also explains why throughout history, nations have used the law to prevent or curtail the spread of undesirable behavior.
3) Human behavior may be influenced at the spiritual level. Human beings are composed of three main parts, namely: the body, the soul and the spirit. A human’s spirit can either be empty or inhabited by a good (or holy) or bad (or evil) spirit. These spiritual forces are capable of influencing human behavior beyond the voluntary control of the person possessed by them. This is why, in the New Testament Bible, Jesus cast out evil demonic forces from people exhibiting what psychologists would term “schizophrenia”, and the affected persons immediately recovered normal behavior patterns. Demonic activity can be violent or latent as in the case of Mary Magdalene, a woman whose work as a prostitute had demonic link, until she met Jesus. For this reason, Social Work should include the study of the spiritual dimension of life and how it may be applied to promote well-being and social functioning.
4) Human behavior can be influenced at the level of the soul. The soul consists of the “Mind”, the “Will” and the “Emotions”. When individuals understand with their mind the justification for not behaving in a certain way, that strengthens their ability to exercise their “Will” to “reign-in” their emotions, which are often difficult to control.
5. The question of human rights:
From the professional standpoint, when clients come to a professional practitioner, be it a doctor, a lawyer or a Social Worker, they have a right to be given accurate information about the matter troubling them. The professional practitioner must not withhold any information pertinent to the matter at hand, because professional help exists to assist clients make informed choices. Therefore, the tendency to argue that same-sex attraction is an innate condition and that persons who experience such attraction have a human right to engage in homosexuality, obscures vital information clients should be given and amounts to professional misconduct. In civilized society, attraction to somebody or anything, of itself, does not legitimize indulgence of that attraction. A right to indulgence must be assessed on whether natural, health, social and cultural considerations would judge that indulgence as justified.
Alfred Kinsey’s argument of ‘sexual orientation’ is a misnomer because it is based on the “attraction principle”. But, based on this argument, a married man who feels attracted to other women [as universally happens] would be justified to claim that “adultery” is his sexual orientation. Or a thief could claim that “shop-lifting” is their orientation. Or “violent anger” could pass as an “orientation” and be excusable. Based on the “attraction” argument, there is no reason to legislate against pedophiles who claim that their orientation is to have sexual relations with children and that children have capacity to consent such relations. The truth is that in real life, human beings may feel attraction to all kinds of things, but these attractions must be subjected to natural, health, social and cultural considerations to decide what is permissible or not. Only animals can live life basing on instinct, but humans must subject their behavior to reason, which animals are incapable of. Human society is inconceivable without each person learning how to exercise restraint on “attractions” and consciously choosing to behave in acceptable ways. The “restraint principle” is what makes human society livable.
On the question of consenting adults and what harm they constitute, this argument denies the connectedness of society. In systems analysis, society is like an organism with different parts but all of them connected together. The behavior of my neighbors, for example, is part of my children’s socialization system. What each individual does reverberates throughout society. That is why it was thought in United States that gays could do their thing if they wanted, but when it came to marriage, this right is being resisted because it involves changing society’s collective beliefs and practice such as what children should be taught in school, whether parents or the church can teach against homosexuality, whether a house or hotel owner could refuse to rent to a gay couple based on their beliefs or conscience, etc. For these reasons, in all 31 of 50 states where gay-marriage has come up for referendum vote in US, it has been resisted. It is delusional and unsustainable, however, to allow the population to practice a behavior which they cannot consummate as marriage. Any restrictions on same-sex marriage must first involve restrictions on homosexual behavior itself.
Human rights standards will be satisfied when Social Work practitioners exercise the ethical responsibility to give full and accurate information to persons experiencing same-sex thoughts and attractions, that homosexual thoughts and attraction are part of a range of thoughts and feelings that may occur to people in varying degrees of intensity, but the proper response is not to indulge and reinforce such thoughts and feelings. Instead, when resisted, such thoughts and feelings gradually reduce in intensity until they are no longer of significant social concern. All humans must resist and overcome feelings of one kind or other. Traditionally, the law is an additional means of helping us with behavior management.
The Social Work profession must apologize for any mishandling of the issue of homosexuality in the past and resolve to provide professional guidance to clients that is free of political or other considerations.
6. Homosexuality and Public Health risk:
Homosexual practice is associated with serious public health risks that our under-developed health systems are ill-equipped to handle. Even in developed countries, citizens are resisting the tax-burden originating from runaway healthcare costs.
Male Homosexuality is associated with rapid spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) like HIV and Hepatitis B and C. Because of heightened risk of disease among Men who have sex with Men (MSM), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy prohibits blood donation by Men who have sex with men. Drug-resistant infections like rectal gonorrhea and complications like fecal incontinence would be rare in the public health system without the practice of anal sexual intercourse, but school children in Uganda are beginning to present with these rare diseases due to involvement in homosexual activity (as argued by Hon. Obua Ogwal in the Parliamentary debate on the Anti-homosexuality Bill, 2009 when he talked of a newspaper report of a school boy found with rotting anal orifice after involvement in homosexual activity). Some rectal infections may be drug resistant and complications like fecal incontinence require expensive specialist surgery:
“Penicillin is ineffective at treating rectal gonorrhea: this is because other bacteria within the rectum produce β-lactamases that destroy penicillin. All current treatments are less effective at treating gonorrhea of the throat, so the patient must be rechecked by throat swab 72 hours or more after being given treatment, and then retreated if the throat swab is still positive.” [Wikipedia]
------------------
“Fecal incontinence is the loss of regular control of the bowels. Involuntary excretion and leaking are common occurrences for those affected…. One study among 14 anoreceptive homosexual men and ten non-anoreceptive heterosexual men showed that anoreceptive homosexual men have decreased anal canal resting pressure relative to non-anoreceptive heterosexual men and no associated fecal incontinence. Another study among forty anoreceptive homosexual men and ten non-anoreceptive heterosexual men found a very significant increase in fecal incontinence (fourteen, or 35% amongst the anoreceptive men, and one, or 10% in the non-anoreceptive sample) amongst the anoreceptive sample”. [Wikipedia]
These diseases constitute preventable health crisis that any government must act early to prevent. It is noteworthy that anal and oral sexual intercourse may result in unique strains of gonorrhea (rectal or throat gonorrhea) that are resistant to ordinary anti-gonorrhea treatment. This is probably proof that nature abhors abuse (“abuse” is a grammatical construct: abuse = abnormal use):
Homosexual practices are also known to expose an individual to varied and extreme risks to their physical and psychological health. These scientific findings strongly justify state legal measures that prohibit sexual conduct against the self-evident natural pattern, because there are harmful public health consequences of unnatural sexual conduct which the state is justified to take measures to prevent.
Secondly, given that the risk of HIV infection is so much higher among male homosexuals, increased practice of homosexuality and bi-sexuality threatens to reverse the commendable progress Uganda has made against HIV/AIDS, of reducing infection rates from 18% to today’s national average of about 6%. Bi-sexuality is a particularly risky practice because it creates a disease transfer linkage from a high risk population to the general population. These preventable health threats partly justify legal measures to prevent the spread of homosexual behavior.
7. NASWU’s specific guidance on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009:
We conclude this statement with the following guidance about the proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill, 2009:
Our independent findings show that this Bill was necessitated by extraordinary developments in Uganda and around the world which have been widely documented and reported in the media, including:
a) increasing incidents of homosexual abuse of children and youth by people exercising power and influence over them like teachers, pastors, parents etc. A recent report shows this. Uganda: Child Abuse rampant.;
b) recruitment of youth into homosexual practice with inducements including money. (Homosexual admits recruiting students). While Uganda has a law that currently prohibits sexual “acts against the order of nature”, this law is not comprehensive enough to cover the promoters of these acts.
c) promotion of homosexuality by some organizations, including a pro-gay book by UNICEF circulated in schools without seeking permission of the Ministry of Education; (UNICEF Book supports teen homosexuality). The draft law seeks to stop promotion and further recruitment of unsuspecting children and youth into homosexuality.
d) creation of organizations whose sole purpose is to promote homosexuality in Uganda ; (e.g. (Sexual Minorities Uganda); (Integrity Uganda); (Freedom and Roam Uganda)
e) government-led campaigns at the UN led by some countries like France and Brazil to secure a UN General Assembly resolution imposing homosexuality as an internationally protected human right. For example, on November 18th 2008, France and Netherlands initiated a campaign which seeks to use the UN to push homosexuality on other nations of the world.
f) the mistake in western society, where the issue of homosexuality was handled lightly as a minor, private issue, but these societies are waking up too late on realizing that the matter affects how their entire society is ran, what children are taught at school and literally what everybody “must believe and practice”. This waking-up is for example seen in anti-gay-marriage campaigns in United States, where US citizens are fighting to retain traditional family values against stiff competition from gay-activists in 31 states where the matter has come up for a referendum vote, winning such ballot battles by the skin of their teeth. As expected, these countries are stuck with a huge population of their citizens that has been recruited into homosexual practice over decades of tolerance to the practice, that has seen the rise of powerful, well-funded organizations that regularly misinform children and youth about homosexuality and recruit them into their ranks. This discontented population is justifiably angry against a society that allowed them to practice behavior they cannot fully celebrate as marriage and is demanding equality for self-evident disordered and harmful behavior. This represents mismanagement of human behavior by public institutions in these countries, because legal safeguards were not put in place early enough to prevent the spread of homosexuality and related practices.
Given the aforementioned information about homosexuality and human behavior and these developments in Uganda and internationally, we advise as follows:
- NASWU rejects the view that same-sex attraction is an innate “orientation”, rather, it is part of a range of feelings individuals ought to learn to bring under control as they mature;
- There is justification for Uganda to put in place appropriate legislation to comprehensively prohibit homosexuality;
- The Anti-homosexuality Bill has drafting errors in the way some offences and penalties are conceived, that should be corrected before its passage;
- The clause requiring mandatory reporting of all known homosexual offences should be amended to exempt disclosure made in counseling situations, in organizations licensed to offer same-sex counseling services, to encourage those experiencing same-sex attractions to seek professional help on behavior management. To be licensed, such counseling organizations must sign an undertaking not to dispense pro-homosexual advice to their clients.
- The Parliament of Uganda is acclaimed worldwide for writing some of the best laws in the world. The Anti-homosexuality Bill will go through the established scrutiny that all bills undergo before they become law. As in previous instances, an appropriate law will emerge from this process that even other countries may want to emulate. Members of the public as well as Social Workers should express their views to the concerned committee in Parliament to ensure that their views inform the law-making process.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Public Policy Group Defends Uganda's Christians on abti gay bill
"The purpose is completely at variance with what the U.S. media have reported," he said. "It is not a 'Kill the Gays' bill. Rather, it is designed to kill the disease that some homosexuals spread through their reckless and irresponsible conduct and lifestyle."
Kincaid said that the much-publicized death penalty provision in the bill is for deliberately spreading AIDS and engaging in homosexual behavior that threatens children and society.
"Uganda's people and government deserve support, not criticism, from the United States," said Kincaid. "They are up against the international homosexual lobby, the money of George Soros, and the Obama Administration. They are trying to create a Christian culture that is protective of families and children."
Kincaid has produced a report, available at www.usasurvival.org, which explains the situation in detail and includes comments from Ugandan Christians who resent the "homosexual imperialism" being practiced by the U.S. and other Western nations. The report also analyzes how financial hedge-fund operator George Soros is pouring money into Africa to promote the interests of "sexual minorities" and "sex workers" -- another name for prostitutes.
The bill in Uganda was denounced by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. But Kincaid says that Obama and Clinton were clearly responding to pressure from the well-financed "gay rights" lobby, which backed Obama during the 2008 campaign. Kincaid said this lobby wants African countries to accept homosexuality as a normal lifestyle entitled to special rights and recognition from government. Uganda, in the midst of an AIDS crisis and recovering and rebuilding from the terrible time when dictator Idi Amin ruled the East African country, is refusing to go along.
The Americas' Survival, Inc. (ASI) report points out that Uganda not only suffered under Idi Amin, but revolted against a homosexual pedophile King Mwanga in the 1800s, a period in the country's history that is not well-known. The result was the establishment of National Martyr's Day on June 3 in honor of the Christians tortured and killed by Mwanga.
Kincaid said that Clinton, in her National Prayer Breakfast remarks condemning the legislation, failed to disclose that Ugandan President Museveni had told her that he had received reports that foreign homosexuals have been targeting Ugandan children for sexual abuse. The State Department is supposed to be against sex trafficking, Kincaid said. Yet, Kincaid said it is threatening to cut-off foreign aid if the nation doesn't bend over to the demands of the homosexual lobby.
"If our media were accurately reporting this story," he said, "reporters would be questioning why the Obama Administration is interfering with Uganda's right of self-determination and desire to be free of the sexual immorality that has already engulfed the U.S."
For more information, please go to www.usasurvival.org Contact Cliff Kincaid directly through 443-964-8208 or Kincaid@comcast.net.
Andrew Wommack supports the Ugandan anti-gay bill
I received an e-mail from a man wanting me to come out against Uganda's Anti-homosexual law on the basis that it was prescribing death for all homosexuals and even harsh prison terms for anyone who didn't turn in a homosexual. He cited Rick Warren's opposition to these laws and wanted me to follow suit.
I knew this information was wrong and the punishments were vastly exaggerated as is so often the case. I met with the member of parliament responsible for this bill and he gave me his reasoning for introducing this legislation. Uganda had just had the United Nations try to pressure them into passing pro-homosexual legislation in order to obtain a large sum of money offered to them (a bribe). They responded with this legislation in order to stop the strong arm tactics of the pro-homosexual western influence. Would to God American leaders had enough integrity to not be bribed or badgered into compliance.
Although I knew the situation was being misrepresented, I didn't feel qualified to deal with this personally. But Leland Shores who runs our office in Kampala, Uganda is well aware of the details and has written a response worthy of everyone who has an interest in this reading. He has included a letter from over 200 Ugandan Christian leaders explaining the situation.
I encourage you to take a few moments and carefully read Leland's response. The Ugandans are taking a stand for righteousness and they should have the support of American Christians, not their condemnation.
Andrew Wommack
Uganda Confronts "Loud-mouthed Homosexual Lobby"
The issue is consideration of a piece of legislation to discourage homosexual practices in Uganda.
"Many Ugandans are shocked at the reaction to this bill and the extent to which homosexual activists can intimidate everyone to silence," Tuhaise said. "This is a bill written to control a problem that has largely gotten out of hand in western society and is now spreading tentacles worldwide. Perhaps Uganda has helped to highlight the danger that the homosexual movement poses to the world."
Tuhaise is chairman of the board of Agape Community Transformation (ACT), a Christian organization dedicated to improving the spiritual, physical, economic and societal conditions of their communities. He is familiar with the bill because he works at the Parliamentary Research Service at the Parliament of Uganda, where the bill is being considered for passage. It was introduced by legislator David Bahati.
"I am a Ugandan and I'm writing to thank you for your bravery," Tuhaise said in his message to AIM. "The articles you've written in support of the right of Ugandans to exercise self-determination on the issue of homosexuality have thrown fresh light on the American scene [and show] that not every American is scared of the loud-mouthed homosexual lobby."
He added, "Please continue to help Uganda by educating Americans about the bill and countering the lies. The American people should wake up and reclaim America from a dangerous subculture that is destroying their children and youth under the guise of liberty and human rights."
AIM received his message at about the same time that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were announcing their support for putting active and open homosexuals into the Armed Forces of the United States.
The AIM Report, Homosexual Media Target Christians, is our latest article in a series that examines how homosexual activists in the U.S. media such as Rachel Maddow of MSNBC and Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post have given impetus to what has now become a global campaign to isolate Uganda and even cut off aid to the poor country because of its stand against homosexuality.
Uganda not only suffered under the murderous dictator Idi Amin, but revolted against a homosexual pedophile King Mwanga in the 1800s, a period in the country's history that is not well-known. The result was the establishment of National Martyr's Day on June 3 in honor of the Christians tortured and killed by Mwanga.
Showing disdain for Uganda's sovereign right to chart its own course in domestic and foreign affairs, the "gay rights" lobby has mounted an aggressive strategy to undermine the government of Uganda and threaten the cut-off of foreign aid if the anti-homosexuality bill in Uganda is passed. All of this may have something to do with the fact, as AIM has disclosed, that billionaire George Soros, a major financial backer of the Democratic Party and the "gay rights" movement, has been funding efforts to promote homosexuality and legalized prostitution in Uganda and throughout Africa. The Open Society Institute of Soros calls these activities "the rights of sexual minorities" and "sex work."
The current focus of "progressives," led in the Congress by lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, is to force the Obama Administration to do more to stop passage of the legislation. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already been enlisted to make a telephone call to Uganda President Yoweri Museveni about the legislation. But he said that he told her that it was a response to the reported activities of foreign homosexuals targeting children in Uganda. Officially, the U.S. Government is supposed to oppose human trafficking for purposes of child abuse and sexual exploitation.
The latest phase of this campaign is an effort by the homosexual lobby to have President Obama openly denounce the bill at the February 5 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.
Alluding to the fact that American pastors such as Rick Warren have been pressured to denounce the bill, Tuhaise adds, "We are still puzzled why American conservatives will not stand up to homosexual intimidation. The homosexuals and their sympathizers have hijacked the media around the bill and gone out to every conservative leader or organization saying Uganda has written a 'Kill the Gays Bill.' This is far from true for anyone who has read the bill. Without checking, these so-called conservatives have issued statements critical of the bill, which homosexual lobbyists have used to create a false impression that America is united against the Bill."
While the homosexual lobby here and abroad has mobilized its resources to create that impression, Warren Throckmorton of Grove City College, a conservative Christian institution, has also been working with the "gay rights" movement to attack supporters of the legislation. In response, Peter LaBarbera of the group Americans for Truth about Homosexuality has asked, "What qualifies the United States to lecture Uganda about homosexuality?" LaBarbera says Throckmorton, once known as a conservative, has become a "fellow traveler" of the homosexual movement.
Referring to the controversial death penalty provision, which has gotten most of the media attention, Tuhaise told AIM: "The death penalty was included for the most severe homosexual offences where the offender would expose a victim to the risk of a dangerous disease like AIDS, which has no cure. If one willfully puts others (including innocent children in their care) at risk of death, then a deterrent penalty of death makes sense. And it has been a law for heterosexual abusers since 1997. So why is it causing so much fracas when it is applied to homosexual abusers?"
Tuhaise told AIM that Uganda needed the support of conservatives from the U.S. but that there is an obvious problem in America itself. He explained, "We sometimes wonder why Americans are not rising up to stop many shocking things happening there, like the predators who are luring children into dangerous sex rings and destroying their lives...In Africa we think of the welfare of the community and we care what is going on in the neighborhood, because whoever takes over your neighborhood has got your kid, too."
Pastor Ssempa responds to Barack Obama
We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are -- whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda,” Obama told the National Prayer Breakfast on 4 February in Washington.
First President Barack Obama makes a mistake, gays and lesbians are never targetted for who they are, rather what they do. It is the repugnant sexual acts which they do which constitutes a crime, a sin and a rebellion against the order of nature. Here in Africa, we believe homosexuals can CHANGE. It is very dissappointing for Africans to hear Obama who ran on the ticket of "change we can believe in" suddenly growing cold feet when we postulate in faith that homosexuals can truly change. We wish to tell him, that Sodomy is not the change we want nor can believe in.
Secondly, we wish to remind Obama that the unborn babies killed under his extremely odius laws of abortion, are the ones who are killed not for what they have done, but just because they are. Shame on his administration for panicking to protect abnormal sexual acts, when innocent babies are killed daily in America in its abortion industry which is funded by his administration.
Obamas comments will not stop the passage of the anti-homosexuality bill, but rather it has shown us that of all the problems that Africa has, the priority is not HIV/AIDS or trade but Sodomy. In History we will remember President George W. Bush for helping to stop the spread of the deadly HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberclosis with his presidential emergencey fund (PEPFAR). On the other hand we are writing Obamas history as one whose single focus is a divisive obsession with the spread of sodomy in Africa. We are sad that the presidetial emergency response of Barack Obama is the use of the white house as a bully pulpit to spread sodomy, while enabling the murder of millions of unborn babies in his unconscionable and extremely odious abortion laws.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
THE ABSOLUTE GOD
Quoting from exodus 22:20, he emphasized that the consequence of worshipping other gods as death. This serves as a strong warning to the world which has increasingly distanced itself from God by embracing relativism. He defined God variously as:
¨ A being of supernatural powers or attributes believed in and worshipped by people.
¨ A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, originator, and ruler of the universe, the principle object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions.
Capitalizing on the Ten Commandments he said that society needs laws to check on human excesses. Man when in absolute freedom is bound to ruin him self and therefore the need for necessary checks and balances which can only be brought to life by the recognition of an absolute God who bears the ultimate truth about our existence. He compared human behavior to a wild horse that is out of control and needs to be bridled in a given direction by establishing necessary laws. “For instance, marriage is the proper circle for sexual relationships. The relative morality has no absolute and no legal circle and so find no set boundaries,” said the aggressive Pastor Ssempa. To rid the world of this madness that is reflected in many perversions like adultery, fornication, corruption, homosexuality among others is to come back to God and live in accordance with his word.
Pastor Ssempa also regretted that many Christians today do not want to identify themselves as Christians. They are ashamed of their God. He admired a Daniel type of Christians who can not abandon their God despite thee difficulties they go through. He admired a model of Christians who are willing to defend the truth up to the bitter end even if it means death. He reiterated his resolve to fight homosexuality and never to cowardice despite the much pressure on him to give up the war against sodomy. In Uganda we celebrate on 1st of June martyrs day – a day in commemoration of young people who defied the orders of the king of Buganda to engage in homosexuality as a normal human practice. As if he had been motivated by these, he continued to express his convictions as to why he should continue doing what he is doing. Indeed most operations of the church are out touch with the social realities and have not adequately addressed the social needs of the people hence being irrelevant. Referring to the late king Martin Luther junior he said, “I refuse to be part of an irrelevant church.”
Commenting on the Christian – Muslim relationship that has gone sour in many parts of the world like Nigeria and Sudan he said it’s not necessary. Christians and Muslims preach different faith but can find grounds of commonality especially when dealing with issues that threaten out moral fabric as a society like homosexuality. “We learn from each other,” said pastor Ssempa. But in fulfilling the great commission, we should preach to them and encourage them to know Christ. We should also listen to them and hear from them what they want to tell us about their faith. The frequent chaos in northern Nigeria between Christians and Muslims are totally unnecessary.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
It is indeed a big embarrassment for nations that claim to be at the helm civilisation such as America, England, Sweden, France, Netherlands among others to turn all their guns to such a small nation as Uganda bulldozzing it into homosexuality by rejecting the bill that seeks to protect the values and cultures of its people. How can we, in the name of Africa embrace such a vice on our land? With this we shall not be quiet but shall speak on top of our voices.
Homosexuality has never been part of the philosophy of the life of an African man. Our history is clear. Today in Uganda, on 1st june we celebrate Uganda martyrs day, a day in commemoration of young men who defied the orders of the king of Buganda who wanted to drag them into homosexuality. They chose to die rather than do such an evil act. Today the international community is threatening to cut off aids if we do not accept homosexuality as a normal practice a mong Ugandans. If the price of rejecting homosexuality is malaria medicine or any other aid they want to cut off, then we rather die in indignity than sell out our land to homosexuality and our cultural values that have handed down to us through generations. Shame on America and his allies for trying to create a 'Sodomy' and 'Gaymorrah' out of Uganda. We renounce this in the strongest terms and we shall fight it tooth and nail. Please Uganda, go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont look back your defender is strong.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Donors have no right to dictate to us
Xenophobia means the fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners. Xenophobic is the word (‘adjective’ in grammar) describing the person with xenophobia. Whether or not I hate homosexuality is not the subject of this article. When it comes to Uganda, differences must be ducked altogether and we confront, as Ugandans, any challenges, including intrusions.
The threats by Sweden and other countries to cut off aid if the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is passed is offensive and outrageous interference in our affairs, to which Uganda shouldn’t capitulate. We much appreciate their aid but without sounding xenophobic, their donations give them no right to pontificate on our domestic policies and laws.
Advice and suggestions are welcome but it is as cynical as it is misguided to preach to us on how we should conduct ourselves, disregarding our background. Aid or not, Ugandan culture must be recognised. The most important aspect of being respected is never to interfere in other people’s domestic matters. I can’t think of anything more vile than dictating to Ugandans to absorb alien cultures under threats of cutting off financial assistance!
Uganda is currently in throes of an acid epidemic where criminals pour the corrosive substance on enemies, resulting in either death or irreversible deformation. I suggested in a daily tabloid that convicted culprits must be hanged if their victims die or jailed forever if they survive. Unaffected foreigners shouldn’t interfere if the law was passed because apart from the protected ministers/MPs, living in a cocoon of privileges, and the super rich, hapless Ugandans are the victims of sustained acid attacks.
Donors must have some relationships with countries whose justice systems demand that thieves must have their hands chopped off and adulteresses stoned to death!
Early this month, a man who raped five children was sentenced to be beheaded by a court in Saudi Arabia. That is their law, which explains why other countries didn’t interfere. Are we being treated differently because of our financial dependence?
Due to diverse cultures, Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the British Parliament, finds it funny and cool to expose in the media her past escapades as a party girl with a taste for casual sex.
With her lifestyle of heavy drinking, she enjoyed the excitement of not knowing with whom she would spend the night! A Ugandan woman, let alone one married to a Parliament Speaker, would never do that because it is incompatible with culture to reveal bedroom secrets.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has called the American Anglican to block the appointment of a lesbian bishop and warned that selecting a homosexual bishop could push the Anglican Communion into full-blown schism.
Why are those exalting homosexuality and human rights campaigners voiceless about Dr.Williams’ missive? Donors’ money, most of which is stolen, is not a ‘one-way street’ because the givers also benefit.
Their banks keep huge cash balances owned by thieves in Uganda and other countries. Millions of Global Fund cash siphoned out of Uganda by thieves is already back lying in overseas banks. Only Nigeria recovered some $1.2 billion of Sani Abacha’s (former military ruler) billions stashed away in banks abroad.
Many vehicles bought with donors’ recycled cash are mainly imported from their countries, which boosts enormously their motor and other industries.
Stern, non-deterrent measures, rather than mere denunciations, will curb stealing. The European Union’s insistence that all thieves must be prosecuted to avoid impunity is the donation Uganda needs now, and not homosexuals. Neglected auditors’ reports must be the blueprint against corruption.
The Police chief deserves credit for targeting medium fish by arresting some District Police Commanders and senior officers. Arrests of “drug traffickers” in the Health Ministry and clinics will resuscitate our health services.
Disappointingly, after the hype of their arrests and detention subsides, suspects are bonded out, and continue to be paid for doing nothing while on indefinite “suspension”!
What happened to a Nateete Police chief ordered by the President to be arrested in a fanfare of publicity nearly two months ago? Unless laws are implemented [and where necessary amended], it is hard to see what the statute books exist for and how stealing can be eliminated.
What’s the purpose of having capital punishment when convicted murderers are on death row for 20 years and then released without hanging them? The World Bank, a major donor, reveals that Shs 530 billion is stolen annually!
Donors threatening us with cuts are more concerned about homosexuals than the beleaguered masses dying of diseases and hunger because they continue flooding the country with billions without cut threats as if stealing is more tolerable than homosexuality.
UPC party criticises gays Bill, is it because of Otunu?
This is NOT Leadership. We seek
Uganda People’s Congress party members have criticised the controversial anti-gay legislation, arguing that it will distort the state’s relationship with the donors.
Mama Miria Obote, the party president, told journalists yesterday during a press briefing at party headquarters in Kampala that the Bill should be withdrawn since there already laws that governs homosexuality. “This Bill was tabled to disrupt our donors. This is unfortunate because half of our budget comes from these donors so we need their support. We cannot afford to put in place laws that will distract the flow of funds into the state because it is what we solely depend on,” she argued.
I sadly read what the UPC leader? says, I wonder if she is a mother? How can you say the bill disrupts the donors, what kind of leadership is she offering? Is this the way she is going to lead Uganda? To take us back to dependence on foreigners to an extent of allowing them to make laws for us? Point of Information Madam Miria, Uganda currently supports 100% of it's budget and 35% of it's development budget. If our tax base is consolidated, we shall be able to support all. And if donor's money comes with strings to allowing homosexuality, then we better die than allow this to happen. You loose our support for your party, and are you in defence of Otunu?
The Bill currently before Parliament proposes a life imprisonment for anyone convicted of homosexuality and the death penalty in certain circumstances. While broadly supported domestically, the legislation has caused a storm of protest abroad.
President Museveni early this week during a party meeting said the private member’s Bill had become a matter of international concern and more consultation was needed.
“It’s a foreign policy issue, and we must handle it in a way that does not compromise our principles but also takes into account our foreign policy interests.”
UPC members, however, explained that the government is steering the Bill to cover-up for its past misdeeds so as to withdraw the public’s attention from more developmental issues. Mr Yonasani Kanyomozi, the party’s National Chairman, told Daily Monitor that the government was directly involved in formulating the Bill but disguised it as Mr David Bahati’s, the MP who proposed it. “This is not Bahati’s Bill; it is a government Bill which was put in place to distract the public from the government’s corruption cases.”
We know that opposition parties have been paid or been promised to be paid alot of money by Donors if they distance themselves from the bill. I have personally followed the drawing of this bill and I know of UPC MPs and other opposition MPs who were involved in drawing the bill and sponsoring it. So UPC's statements are unfounded and baseless, and if they think they can get sympathy from Donors, they loose out on 95% of Ugandans who do not support homosexulity. This is surely not the Leadership. We seek
MPs risk being voted out because of anti-homo Bill
The Rwenzururu King, Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma, has urged his subjects to vote legislators who support homosexuality out of Parliament.
King Mumbere made the remark on Sunday while meeting Mr Mubarak Kidima, a Ugandan who is contesting for a legislative seat in Australia. He said if homosexuality is allowed to prevail, it will degenerate the African culture.
The Omusinga said: “Homosexuality has contributed to cultural conflicts not only in Africa but in the entire world.” The Rwenzururu king said as cultural leaders, they will continue to advise the government not to disregard African cultural value in exchange for foreign assistance.
Several countries including US, Britain, Canada and several international organisations have expressed dissatisfaction over the Bill, while Sweden has threatened to withdraw aid. Meanwhile, Busongora South MP Christopher Mbalibulha Kibanzanga has said he will quit politics if Parliament fails to pass the Anti-gay Bill.
Speaking during a talk show on a local fm radio on Sunday, Mr Kibanzaga said: “I am ready to quit politics if this Parliament fails to pass this Bill because it means we are selling our cultural values and adopting western culture.”
Busongora North MP Elijah Kyetunda said: “I would not forgive my government if it dares to mind about foreign aid and forget our cultural values.”
This is Leadership. We seek
Ssekandi opposes President on gays Bill
Parliament will go ahead and debate the Anti-Homosexuality Bill irrespective of opposition from donors and President Museveni, Speaker Edward Ssekandi has said.
The Speaker’s position comes days after the US government threatened to expel Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) arrangement if the Bill tabled by Mr David Bahati (Ndorwa West) is enacted into law.
We shall be excited to be out of AGOA, it has donr more harm than good, there are so many disadvantages, it benefits America and not Uganda...
Mr Ssekandi told journalists at Parliament yesterday that no amount of opposition and threats would stop the ongoing process of seeking views on the Bill—that has also been criticised by human rights activists.
The Bill proposes seven-year jail terms for homosexuals and the death penalty for convicts of aggravated homosexuality.
Mr Ssekandi said: “There is no way we can be intimidated by remarks from the President to stop the Bill. This Bill was officially tabled in Parliament and was subsequently committed to a committee for scrutiny. The President has a right to express his views like any other people who have petitioned me.”
Bravo Ssekandi
He added: “This was a private members’ Bill and if the Executive wants to bring their views they are free. The Constitution is clear, it doesn’t allow people of the same sex to get married and what we are looking for in the Bill is (basically) the penalty and the process should continue.”
Addressing his ruling NRM party members at State House, Entebbe on Tuesday President Museveni told advocates of the Bill to go slow, saying the matter was a sensitive foreign policy issue.
For President Museveni, he should know that his re-election is in balance depending on whether he is with donors or with the 95% of Ugandans who do not want homosexuality here.
Govt could stop Gays Bill? - minister
Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill may be withdrawn from Parliament following pressure from the international community, a senior government official has said.
Donor countries, including the United States, have piled pressure on the government to drop the proposed law, on grounds that it violates human rights.
I wonder which human right this bill violates when Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda. And who rules our country, Donors or Ugandans? Can we exercise our independence?
The State Minister for Investments, Mr Aston Kajara, yesterday said the government was looking at the Bill with the possibility of withdrawing it. “The government’s official position is that we have enough laws to cover homosexuality acts,” Mr Kajara said. “Government did not sponsor this Bill. It is a private member’s Bill. The government is studying it and we may talk to the honourable Member of Parliament (David Bahati) to consider withdrawing it.”
Kajara, how much have you been paid, and guys, how can a minister of investment be talking about a government position on moral issues, when we have ministers directly in this area, this is not true, Kajara is completly acting alone and it is a shame to him. The bill will not be withdrawn. Stop being a puppet of the western countries!
In October 2009, Mr Bahati tabled the private member’s Bill that proposes death or life imprisonment for gay people. But the government tried to own the piece of legislation, with Ethics Minister Nsaba Buturo once telling reporters in Kampala that homosexuals “can forget about human rights”.
Of course they can forget about human rights, because they are not getting homosexuality as a right in Uganda
Mr Bahati denies being in a hate campaign, although he has failed to provide evidence to back claims that European gays are recruiting in Ugandan schools. The Penal Code Act already criminalises homosexuality.
It is actually the homosexuals who are in a hate campaign, they have threatened MP Bahati's life, have threatened the rulling party and every key stakeholder on this issue.
On one account, President Museveni has assured US authorities that he would veto the Bill. This comes a day after the State Minister for International Affairs Okello Oryem insisted that the government is not bothered by foreign criticism because homosexuality is not a priority in Uganda.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Dr. Sserwada implores Parlaiment to Pass Anti-Gay Bill
He is also the presiding Apostle of the Born Again Faith Federation of Uganda, a federation that brings together all born again churches in Uganda to be recognized by the government of Uganda.
In his prayer for Uganda it is reported that he prayed thus; "We, the people of Uganda are sincere in our desire to tackle the dangerous and spreading menace of homosexuality. The year 2010 looks friendly and very inviting. Walls of hindrance, limitation and blockage will crumble before us. I envisage Uganda registering significant achievements in legislature, foreign relations, moral correction and human rights.The Lord has constantly dealt with me to in the area of governance and national policy over some controversial issues and shown me that, for once, there is going to be a listening ear.
WCC concerned about anti-homosexual bill in Uganda
World Council of Churches is concerned about the law in Uganda, sorry, they do not make for us laws and we also know them well, that they are off the hook and since their meet in Brazil in the last decade, they accepted homosexuality, going against what the bible teaches. Please stop stressing our President.
The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, wrote a letter to Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, saying that the WCC was "saddened and distressed to receive the news from Uganda regarding a proposed law against homosexual individuals […], which also proposes the death penalty to be meted to homosexual individuals who are HIV positive".
Kobia reminds the president of the commandment to love one's neighbour, adding that the law "should definitely not promote hatred".
We love the people, we hate the sin, and we love them so much as to tell them that what they are doing is wrong. The state is mandated to punish wrong doing
He also warns that "all the discussions, time, efforts and some times money, used on the issue of homosexuality distracts us from non judgmental and constructive discussions about the majority’s problems" and that such a bill, if enacted, "will leave a lot of room for manipulation, abuse […] and oppression of people".
Homosexuality is a majority's problem, we do not want it here, we want it outlawed.
The Anti Homosexuality Bill
BILLS
SUPPLEMENT No. 13 25th September, 2009.
BILLS SUPPLEMENT
to the Uganda Gazette No. 47 Volume CII dated 25th September, 2009.
Printed by UPPC, Entebbe by Order of the Government.
Bill No. 18 Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009
THE ANTI HOMOSEXUALITY BILOL, 2009.
MEMORANDUM.
1.1. The principle
The object of this Bill is to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting (i) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and (ii) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non governmental organization inside or outside the country.
This Bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family.
This legislation further recognizes the fact that same sex attraction is not an innate and immutable characteristic.
The Bill further aims at providing a comprehensive and enhanced legislation to protect the cherished culture of the people of Uganda, legal, religious, and traditional family values of the people of Uganda against the attempts of sexual rights activists seeking to impose their values of sexual promiscuity on the people of Uganda.
There is also need to protect the children and youths of Uganda who are made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child developmental settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption, foster care, or otherwise.
2.1. Defects in existing law.
This proposed legislation is designed to fill the gaps in the provisions of other laws in Uganda e.g. the Penal Code Act Cap. 120.
The Penal Code Act (Cap120) has no comprehensive provision catering for anti homosexuality. If focuses on unnatural offences under section 145 and lacks provisions for penalizing the procurement, promoting, disseminating literature and other pantographic materials concerning the offences of homosexuality hence the need for legislation to provide for charging, investigating, prosecuting, convicting and sentencing of offenders.
This legislation comes to complement and supplement the provisions of the Constitution of Uganda and the Penal Code
Act Cap 120 by not only criminalizing same sex marriages but also same-sex sexual acts and other related acts.
3.0. The objectives of the Bill
The objectives of the Bill are to:
(a) provide for marriage in Uganda as that contracted only between a man and a woman;
(b) prohibit and penalize homosexual behavior and related practices in Uganda as they constitute a threat to the traditional family;
(c) prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements and declarations which are contrary or inconsistent with the pro visions of the Act;
(d) prohibit the licensing of organizations which promote homosexuality.
3.1. Part I of the Bill incorporating clause 1 provides for preliminary matters relating to interpretation of the words and phrases used in the Bill.
3.2. Part II of the Bill incorporating clause 2 to 6 prohibits homosexuality and related practices by introducing the offences of engaging in homosexuality, and the penalties of imprisonment upon conviction. This part also provides for protection, assistance and support for victims of homosexuality.
3.3. Part III of the Bill incorporating clause 7 to 14 creates offences and penalties for act that promote homosexuality, failure to report the offence and impose a duty on the community to report suspected cases of homosexuality.
3.4. Part IV of the Bill incorporating clause15 to clause 17 provides for the jurisdiction of Uganda Courts in case of Homosexuality, including extra territorial jurisdiction.
3.5. Part V of the Bill incorporating clauses 18 and 19 provides for miscellaneous provisions on International Treaties, Protocols, Declarations and conventions and the Minister to make regulations to give effect to the Act.
Schedule of the Bill gives the value of the currency point.
HON DAVID BAHATI,
Member of Parliament, Ndorwa County West, Kabale.
Anti Homosexuality Bill
THE ANTI HOMOSEXUALITY BILL, 2009.
___________
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES.
P¬¬¬ART I—PRELIMINARY.
Clause
1. Interpretation.
PART II—PROHIBITION OF HOMOSEXUALITY.
2. The offence of homosexuality.
3. Aggravated homosexuality.
4. Attempt to commit homosexuality.
5. Protection, assistance and payment of compensation to victims of homosexuality.
6. Confidentiality.
PART III—RELATED OFFENCES AND PENALTIES.
7. Aiding and abating homosexuality.
8. Conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.
9. Procuring homosexuality by threats , etc.
10. Detention with intent to commit homosexuality.
11. Brothels.
12. Same sex marriage.
13. Promotion of homosexuality.
14. Failure to disclose the offence.
PART IV—JURISDICTION.
15. Jurisdiction.
16. Extra- territorial Jurisdiction.
17. Extradition.
PART V—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
18. International treaties.
19. Regulations.
Schedule
Currency point.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
ENTITLED
THE ANTI HOMOSEXUALITY ACT, 2009.
An Act to prohibit any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; prohibit the promotion or recognition of such relations and to provide for other related matters.
BE IT ENACTED by Parliament as follows:
PART I—PRELIMINARY.
1. Interpretation.
In this act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“authority” means having power and control over other people because of your knowledge and official position; and shall include a person who exercises religious, political, economic or social authority;
“bisexual” means a person who is sexually attracted to both males and females;
“child” means a person below the age of 18 years;
“currency point” has the value assigned to it in the Schedule to this Act;
“disability” means a substantial limitation of daily life activities caused by physical, mental or sensory impairment and environment barriers resulting in limited participation;
“felony” means an offence which is declared by law to be a felony or if not declared to be a misdemeanor is punishable without proof of precious conviction, with death or with imprisonment for 3 years or more;
“gay” means a male person who engages in sexual intimacy with another person of the same sex;
“gender” means male or female;
“HIV” means the Human Immunodeficiency Virus;
“homosexual” means a person who engages or attempts to engage in same gender sexual activity;
“homosexuality” means same gender or same sex sexual acts;
“lesbian” means a female who engages in sexual intimacy with another female;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for ethics and integrity;
“misdemeanor” means any offence which is not a felony;
“serial offender” means a person who has previous convictions of the offence of homosexuality or related offences;
“sexual act” includes—
(a) physical sexual activity that does not necessarily culminate in intercourse and may include the touching of another’s breast, vagina, penis or anus;
(b) stimulation or penetration of vagina or mouth or anus or any part of the body of any person, however slight by a sexual organ;
(c) the unlawful use of any object or organ by a person on another person’s sexual organ or anus or mouth;
“sexual organ” means a vagina, penis or any artificial sexual contraption;
“touching” includes touching—
(a) with any part of the body;
(b) with anything else;
(c) through anything;
and in particular includes touching amounting to penetration of any sexual organ, anus or mouth.
“victim” includes a person who is involved in homosexual activities against his or her will.
PART II—HOMOSEXUALITY AND RELATED PRACTICES.
2. The offence of homosexuality.
(1) A person commits the offence of homosexuality if--
(a) he penetrates the anus or mouth of another person of the same sex with his penis or any other sexual contraption;
(b) he or she uses any object or sexual contraption to penetrate or stimulate sexual organ of a person of the same sex;
(c) he or she touches another person with the intention of committing the act of homosexuality.
(2) A person who commits an offence under this section shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.
3. Aggravated homosexuality.
(1) A person commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality where the--
(a) person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of 18 years;
(b) offender is a person living with HIV;
(c) offender is a parent or guardian of the person against whom the offence is committed;
(d) offender is a person in authority over the person against whom the offence is committed;
(e) victim of the offence is a person with disability;
(f) offender is a serial offender; or
(g) offender applies, administers or causes to be used by any man or woman any drug, matter or thing with intent to stupefy or overpower him or her so as to there by enable any person to have unlawful carnal connection with any person of the same sex.
(2) A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death.
(3) Where a person is charged with the offence under this section, that person shall undergo a medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
4. Attempt to commit homosexuality.
(1) A person who attempts to commit the offence of homosexuality commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
(2) A person who attempts to commit the offence of aggravated homosexuality commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.
5. Protection, assistance and payment of compensation to victims of homosexuality.
(1) A victim of homosexuality shall not be penalized for any crime committed as a direct result of his or her involvement in homosexuality.
(2) A victim of homosexuality shall be assisted to enable his or her views and concerns to be presented and considered at the appropriate stages of the criminal proceedings.
(3) Where a person is convicted of homosexuality or aggravated homosexuality under sections 2 and 3 of this Act, the court may, in addition to any sentence imposed on the offender, order that victim of the offence be paid compensation by the offender for any physical, sexual or psychological harm caused to the victim by the offence.
(4) The amount of compensation shall be determined by the court and the court shall take into account the extent of harm suffered by the victim of the offence, the degree of force used by the offender and medical and other expenses incurred by the victim as a result of the offence.
6. Confidentiality.
(1) At any stage of the investigation or trial of an offence under this Act, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judicial officers and medical practitioners, as well as parties t othe case, shall recognize the right to privacy of the victim.
(2) For the purpose of subsection (1), in cases involving children and other cases where the court considers it appropriate, proceedings of the court shall be conducted in camera, outside the presence of the media.
(3) Any editor, publisher, reporter or columnist in case of printed materials, announcer or producers in case of television and radio, producer or director of a film in case of the movie industry, or any person utilizing trimedia facilities or information technology who publishes or causes the publicity of the names and personal circumstances or any other information tending to establish the victim’s identity without authority of court, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points.
PART III—RELATED OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
7. Aiding and abating homosexuality.
A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
8. Conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.
A person who conspires with another to induce another person of the same sex by any means of false pretence or other fraudulent means to permit any person of the same sex to have unlawful carnal knowledge of him or her commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
9. Procuring homosexuality by threats, etc.
(1) A person who—
(a) by threats or intimidation procures or attempts to procure any woman or man to have any unlawful carnal knowledge with any person of the same sex, either in Uganda or elsewhere;
(b) by false pretences or false representations procures any woman or man to have any unlawful carnal connection with any person of the same sex, either in Uganda or elsewhere; or
(2) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section upon the evidence of one witness only, unless that witness Is corroborated in some material particular by evidence implicating the accused.
10. Detention with intent to commit homosexuality.
A person who detains another person with the intention to commit acts of homosexuality with him or herself or with any other person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
11. Brothels
(1) A person who keeps a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for purposes of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
(2) A person being the owner or occupier of premises or having or acting or assisting in the management or control of the premises, induces or knowingly suffers any man or woman to resort to or be upon such premises for the purpose of being unlawfully and carnally known by any man or woman of the same sex whether such carnal knowledge is intended to be with any particular man or woman generally, commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for five years.
12. Same sex marriage.
A person who purports to contract a marriage with another person of the same sex commits the offence of homosexuality and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.
13. Promotion of homosexuality.
(1) A person who—
(a) participates in production, procuring, marketing, broadcasting, disseminating, publishing pornographic materials for purposes of promoting homosexuality;
(b) funds or sponsors homosexuality or other related activities;
(c) offers premises and other related fixed or movable assets for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality;
(d) uses electronic devices which included internet, films, mobile phones for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality and;
(e) who acts as an accomplice or attempts to promote or in any way abets homosexuality and related practices;
commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of five thousand currency points or imprisonment of a minimum of five years and a maximum of five years and a maximum of seven years or both fine and imprisonment.
(2) Where the offender is a corporate body or a business or an association or a non-governmental organization, on conviction its certificate of registration shall be cancelled and the director or proprietor or promoter shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
14. Failure to disclose the offence.
A person in authority, who being aware of the commission of any offence under this Act, omits to report the offence to the relevant authorities within twenty-four hours of having first had that knowledge, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years.
PART IV—JURISDICTION.
15. Jurisdiction.
Save for aggravated homosexuality that shall be tried by the High Court, the magistrates court shall have jurisdiction to try the other offences under this Act.
16. Extra- Territorial Jurisdiction.
This Act shall apply to offences committed outside Uganda where—
(a) a person who, while being a citizen of or permanently residing in Uganda, commits an act outside Uganda, which act should constitute an offence under this Act had it been committed in Uganda; or
(b) the offence was committed partly outside and or partly in Uganda.
17. Extradition.
A person charged with an offence under this Act shall be liable to extradition under the existing extradition laws.
PART V—MISCELLANEOUS.
18. Nullification of inconsistent international treaties, protocols, declarations and conventions.
(1) Any international legal instrument whose provisions are contradictory to the spirit and provisions enshrined in this Act, are null and void to the extent of their inconsistency.
(2) Definitions of “sexual orientation”, “sexual rights”, “sexual minorities”, “gender identity” shall not be used in anyway to legitimize homosexuality, gender identity disorders and related practices in Uganda.
19. Regulations.
The minister may, by statutory instrument, make regulations generally for better carrying out the provisions of this Act.