MPs risk being voted out because of anti-homo Bill

Daily Monitor

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.”

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Ssekandi opposes President on gays Bill

Daily Monitor

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.