Tusiime Apollo
Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni has signed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill that maintains harsh penalties for same-sex relationships and the “promotion” of homosexuality.
Uganda’s parliament last month passed an amended version of an anti-LGBT+ law prescribing a life sentence but also after the initial bill passed a month before was returned by the president citing several amendments.
The speaker of parliament Anita Among communicated this development on her Twitter account:
His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has executed his constitutional mandate as prescribed by Article 91 (3) (a) of the Constitution. He has assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
As the Parliament of Uganda, we have answered the cries of our people. We have legislated to protect the sanctity of family as per Article 31 of the Constitutionof Uganda. We have stood strong to defend our culture and aspirations of our people as per objectives 19 & 24 of natinal objectives and directiveprinciples of state policy.
I thank His Excellency, the president, for his steadfast action in the interest of Uganda. With a lot of humility, I thank my colleagues the Members of Parliament for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists in the interest of our country. By their action, we have lived by our motto: *For God and our Country.
On behalf of the Parliament of Uganda, I thank the people of Uganda for the prayers and encouragement while we executed our mandate in line with Articles 1 and 79 of the Constitution. We shall always stand for and promote the interest of the people of Uganda.
I now encourage the duty bearers under the law to execute the mandate bestowed upon them in the Anti-Homosexuality Act. The people of Uganda have spoken, and it is your duty to now enforce the law in a fair, steadfast, and firm manner.