Amidst minor in-House opposition, Parliament last evening swiftly passed a legislation with stricter penalties for people engaged in same-sex activities in Uganda.
Speaker Anita Among said after Parliament unanimously adopted the Bill that the House will not hesitate to restrict any right to the extent of the House that recognizes, protects and safeguards the sovereignty, morals and culture of this country.
Penalties under the new legislation include a 10-year-jail term for anyone who engages in same-sex relationships or identifies as LGBTQ.
Offenders also face harsher punishments that may include a death sentence.
The fresh anti-gay law, which previously met a court nullification after it was lawed by President Museveni in 2014, returned to a nearly full 11th parliament on March 21 as 389 lawmakers were present in-person, with about 55 MPs following proceedings on Zoom technology.
Shortly after the start of yesterday’s 6-hour long plenary, ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party MP Fox Odoi had led charges against passing the legislation.
The Bill will now await President Museveni’s consent.
