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The Bill once dubbed “Kill the Gays Bill” should now be termed Uganda’s Hate-Gay Bill.

By Melanie Nathan, Dec 21, 2013.

Yesterday we reported that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill had been passed in Uganda.  While we believe the death penalty has been removed, we assert that its provision for life in prison is equally barbaric and untenable.  The Ugandan Parliament not only advances the criminalization of homosexuality in its country, but also will now criminalizes anyone who fails to report a known criminal within a short time period. This could mean three year in prison for mothers, doctors, best friends, teachers, sisters and brothers.

Can you imagine the anarchy? How this could be used as a tool for witch-hunts and the political poison of even innocent people?  This law is dangerous for all – whether straight or gay.

See the Video on Facebook ADVOCACY page timeline showing passage in parliament. You will not the behavior as politicians jumped up and down screaming for its passage. This is a great day of shame for all Ugandans who consider themselves remotely concerned with basic human rights. Or is it a day to mark in Christian Calendars? At least those of extremists such as Scott Lively who worked hard to promote and ensure passage of this Bill.

LGBT activists have ensured that they will fight the Bill, the irregularities of its passage and its constitutionality in the Courts.

PLEASE NOTE: Especially he ignorant Western Petition Campaigners like ALLOUT and CREDO who keep getting their procedural facts wrong:

President Museveni CANNOT veto this Bill, because it is a private member’s bill. He has a choice, he can either assent to it – which means sign it into law right away or he can send it back to parliament. BUT he cannot VETO it. If he refuses to assent, then it goes automatically back to Parliament, where if it passes another read with a two-third majority vote, it will become law.  At that point there is NOTHING Museveni can do. So yes it is good to ask Museven to NOT provide his assent, so Uganda can keep the fight going against final passage of the Bill. And if it still then passes Parliament,  with a two third majority vote, the Bill will be law, but can and probably will be challenged in the Courts as being unconstitutional, which it clearly is.

Please stay tuned for protests and other planned actions.

#UGHATESGAYS

My Facebook Advocacy Page:

Here is a Facebook sampling of how Uganda feel about its new Hate Gay Bill

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Post by Bahati Remmy.

UGANDA PARLIAMENT’S STATEMENT:

Parliament has finally passed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill, criminalizing, outlawing and providing harsh jail terms for same sex relationships in the country.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009, a Private Members’ Bill, was first presented to Parliament by Hon. David Bahati (NRM, Ndorwa West) in October 2009. It was one of the pending bills not considered at the end of the 8th Parliament, but saved and re-introduced for consideration by the 9th Parliament.

The Bill was then referred to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which received submissions from among others the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Uganda Law Reform Commission, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Uganda Prisons Service, Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law and the National Association of Social Workers of Uganda.

Hon. Benson Obua Ogwal (UPC, Moroto), was excited as he moved the Bill for its Second Reading.

“Ugandans have been anxiously waiting for this Bill. This day will be good day for all Ugandans,” he said.
The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009 seeks to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any government entity in Uganda or any other non governmental organization inside or outside the country.

The Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said in its Report, “The Bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family.”

The Committee also said that there is need to protect the children and youth of Uganda who are vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviations as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child development settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption and foster care.
The Anti Homosexuality Bill provides a fourteen year jail term for one convicted for the offence of homosexuality; and imprisonment for life for the offence of aggravated homosexuality.

However, two Independent Hon. Sam Otada (Kibanda) and Fox Odoi (West Budama North) differed from their colleagues on the Committee arguing that the Bill is discriminatory and that homosexuality was already prohibited in other existing laws.
“What two consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedroom should not be the business of this Parliament. It is not right to have the state allowed in the bedrooms of people,” they stated in their Minority Report.

The Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business, Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi, who also sought to defer the consideration of the Bill, argued that government was involved in negotiations over the proposed legislation.

“I was not aware that this Bill was coming up for debate. There are some issues on which we are still consulting,” he said adding, “This is an important Bill that we need to pass with a quorum in Parliament.”

The Bill, having been passed by Parliament, will be forwarded to the President for his assent before it can become law in Uganda.

Uganda Parliament Passes Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Bill includes Life in Prison | Ugandan Speaker Rebecca Kadaga delivered her Xmas present to Ugandans, just one year later than promised

YESTERDAY’s Article http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/12/20/uganda-parliament-passes-anti-homosexuality-bill/