It was full house as Members of Parliament today, Tuesday March 21, 2023 passed the anti homosexuality bill.
Only 2 Ugandan MPs opposed the passing of a stricter anti-gay law which will see offenders, abettors face life in prison while promoters will be handed two decade in cells as punishment.
389 legislators voted.
The bill passed Tuesday, awaits President Yoweri Museveni’s signature to be passed into law.
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Unlike in 2014 when Parliament presided over by Hon Rebecca Kadaga passed the law which would later be challenged in Courts of Law for lack of quorum, this time Speaker Anita Among made a roll call prior to voting to ensure there were enough numbers to pass the law which prohibits same-sex activities in Uganda.
Quorum required less than 200 members.
Activists have recently amplified voices blasting the Bill as “a human rights violation.”
“We recognize that the constitution contains non-derogable rights and in this process, the House has striven to recognize those rights…but the norms and aspirations of the people of Uganda will always remain supreme,” Speaker Among emphasized.
Shortly after the start of Tuesday’s 6-hour long plenary, ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party MP Fox Odoi who presented the minority report had led charges against passing the legislation.
“It contains provisions that are unconstitutional, reverses the gains registered in the fight against gender-based violence and criminalizes individuals instead of conduct that contravenes legal provisions,” he said during plenary.
