Barack Obama meets with Ugandan President after anti-gay law struck down
Barack Obama has met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, days after the country’s anti-gay law was struck down.
Last Friday, the country’s Constitutional Court struck down the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, finding that the speaker of Parliament acted illegally by moving ahead with a vote on the law despite at least three lawmakers objecting to a lack of quorum.
Museveni has denied that the court’s decision to strike down the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was related to diplomatic pressure.
He said: “What has happened to Uganda? Have you seen any catastrophe? Isn’t the economy growing?”
“I was going to Washington with the bill when it was stopped. It has nothing to do with us going to Washington.”
Today, the US President posed with Museveni for a photo in the White House, alongside First Lady Michelle Obama.
It followed a White House dinner related to strengthening ties with Africa, with heads of states from Ethiopia and Kenya also attending.
A group of Ugandan MPs are currently gathering signatures in order to force a vote on putting the law back in place urgently, despite regulations preventing them from doing so.
MP David Bahati said: “”We can suspend any of the rules if we think it is important.
“Whether it’s tomorrow or a week or a month, we will take whatever time is required to make sure that the future of our children is protected, the family is protected, and the sovereignty nation of the protected.”
