Govt could stop Gays Bill? - minister

Daily Monitor

Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill may be withdrawn from Parliament following pressure from the international community, a senior government official has said.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 The bill will not be withdrawn.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.