Anti-gay Bill includes death penalty deterrent
A UGANDAN parliamentarian who crafted a harsh anti-homosexuality Bill has vowed to push ahead with his bid to get the law passed despite mounting opposition from government ministers and an international backlash.
David Bahati said the Bill – which would impose severe punishment for homosexual behaviour, including the death penalty – may be amended once it comes out of committee in February in response to concerns from “a number of stakeholders”. But he predicted it would ultimately pass. “The process of coming up with the law to defend our children and traditional family values in Uganda moves on,” he said.
“There is nothing really that can discourage me from moving forward. As you know, this is the process of legislation – you get criticism. This is part of the joy of the democratic process.”
If passed, Mr Bahati’s Bill would, among other things, give the government the power to extradite Ugandan gays and lesbians from other countries. Writing about homosexuality in Uganda could land reporters in jail, and sexually active HIV-positive people could be convicted of “aggravated homosexuality”.
