Uganda’s campaign against homosexuality, which many in the nation consider a Western creation, has drawn the attention of the world over the last several months as its citizens have complained of being hunted down and being jailed for simply being LGBT. And although the country is still swamped with controversy over its recent anti-gay laws, news reports reveal that Ugandan lawmakers plan to role out even more anti-gay laws that target foreign nongovernmental organizations, also known as NGOs.
According to Reuters, via Huffington Post, Uganda is drafting a new law that would ban promoting homosexuality. The law would also ban NGOs from interfering in the country’s politics.
“There are some NGOs who have come here to undermine us, to promote very bad behavior like homosexuality,” said junior internal affairs minister, James Baba. “As a responsible government we need to check that. They [NGOs] will not be able to do that when we pass this law.”
“It is for Ugandans to say whether Museveni should rule or should not rule,” Baba added. “As a foreign NGO, what stake do you have in our politics?” he asked. “Our nationals have every right to put their government to task and to question the performance of government, but outsiders should not have this privilege.”
Back in February, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed a law that punished “gay sex,” sex with a minor and sex with an HIV-positive person with an imposed jail term of up to life in prison.
If this new law is passed, Uganda’s LGBT population will not only continue to be hunted down but they will also lose valuable health and social resources provided by foreign organizations. Sadly, it’s likely that the bill, like the previous anti-gay one, will be widely supported by the African nation. –nicholas robinson
