Reports say Ugandan parliament will return to the anti-gay bill
Reports suggest that Uganda’s new parliament will consider the notorious anti-homosexuality bill.
The last parliament, which was dissolved last week, ran out of time to debate the draft legislation, which calls for the death penalty for some cases of gay sex.
A BBC World News Service report said the ninth parliament has inherited three bills from its predecessor – one of which is the anti-homosexuality bill.
The Ugandan Daily Monitor also reports that the bill is expected to be debated.
According to Box Turtle Bulletin blogger Jim Burroway, the BBC report said: “The 9th Parliament has inherited three controversial bills that form part of its deliberations. They include the anti-homosexuality bill which was shoved at the 11th hour of the 8th Parliament, the Marriage and Divorce Bill which, among other things, would criminalise marital rape, widow inheritance [sic], in addition to providing for women’s property rights and rights to negotiate sex including seeking divorce on grounds of the man’s impotence or the size of their sexual organ. Another controversial bill is the one that seeks to enact more stringent laws for the media.”
The bill, introduced by MP David Bahati, was designed to strengthen Uganda’s already-harsh laws against homosexuality.
Clauses called for the death penalty for “aggravated” homosexuality, while those who fail to report incidences to police would be jailed.
The bill received worldwide condemnation from countries, gay rights campaigners and human rights groups.
