Ugandan President Museveni’s anti-gay law angers Western leaders

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s signing into law the world’s punitive anti-LGBTQ+ bill which allows jail terms up to 20 years and death penalty for homosexual acts has shocked and outraged the global community.

The speaker of the Ugandan parliament Anita Annet Among released a statement on social media yesterday confirming Museveni had assented to the bill first passed by MPs in March.

The new law imposes the death penalty or life imprisonment for certain same-sex acts, up to 20 years in prison for “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex “activities”, and anyone convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” faces a 14-year sentence.

Ugandans, people around the globe and some world leaders reacted to the issue with shock and outrage.

The reaction was much louder and stronger across both sides of the Atlantic.

The United Kingdom government said it was gravely appalled by the “deeply discriminatory” bill, which it said will “damage Uganda’s international reputation”.

United States President Joe Biden decried the act as “shameful” and “tragic violation of universal human rights”.

He said Washington was considering “sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses” – a suggestion that Ugandan officials may face repercussions.

The UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk has described the law as “shocking and discriminatory”.

Newshawks