Uganda’s speaker of parliament Anitah Among has allegedly been banned from travelling to the United States of America(USA).
This is according to MP Asuman Basalirwa who was the mover of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that was on Monday, May 29, 2023, signed into law by President Kaguta Museveni.
Asuman claims Anitah’s Visa has been cancelled until further notice following what he termed involvement in the anti-homosexuality act. She was one of the bill’s strongest proponents.
Meanwhile, Museveni signed into law the controversial anti-gay bill introducing draconian measures against homosexuality that have been described as among the world’s harshest.
Museveni “has assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023. It now becomes the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023,” a statement posted on the presidency’s official Twitter account said.
Uganda’s parliament on Twitter said Museveni had approved a new draft of the legislation that had been passed overwhelmingly this month by lawmakers, who defended the measures as a protection of national culture and values.
The president had called on MPs to rework the bill, although most of the hardline provisions that caused an outcry in the West and warnings of diplomatic repercussions were retained.
The amended version said that identifying as gay would not be criminalised but “engaging in acts of homosexuality” would be an offence punishable with life imprisonment.
Although Museveni had advised lawmakers to delete a provision making “aggravated homosexuality” a capital offence, lawmakers rejected that move, meaning that repeat offenders could be sentenced to death.
Discussion of the bill in parliament was laced with homophobic slurs, and Museveni himself referred to gay people as “deviants.”
“As Parliament of Uganda, we have heeded the concerns of our people and legislated to protect the sanctity of the family,” Anita Among said in a statement.
“We have stood strong to defend the Culture, Values and aspirations of our people.”
