Kadaga: Parliament To Re-table Nullified Anti-gay Act
Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has told a group of Ugandans who petitioned parliament over the nullified anti-gay law that it will be re-tabled in the August House.
Kadaga gave this assurance on Monday after meeting the petitioners at parliament in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
“Now that we have the 207 signatures, the rest is going to be smooth” Kadaga said.
The Petitioners want the Anti Homosexuality Bill be re-tabled and passed into a law as soon as possible.
Uganda’s Constitutional Court on August 1 2014 annulled the anti-gay legislation signed into law in February.
It ruled that the bill was passed by MPs in December without the requisite quorum and was therefore illegal.
Referring to court’s ruling, Kadaga said “It was not heard on merit. It was never heard on merit” in response to court nullifying Anti-Homosexuality Act”
Homosexual acts were already illegal, but the new law allowed for life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality” and banned the “promotion of homosexuality”.
“We believe that the time is ripe for Uganda to look for genuine developmental partners who will respect our culture” the petitioners said.
MP David Bahati, the brainchild of the bill said the move to petition parliament is a way to show the world that lawmakers will be available unlike before when they fell short on numbers.
“We are going to show the whole world and Ugandans that Mps will be present to pass the Anti Homosexuality bill into law” Bahati said.
He added that “The issue of the Anti Homosexuality law is a politically charged matter, but it will be my mission to pass this law”
Several donors have cut aid to Uganda since the law was adopted.
The White House also cut funds to a number of programmes it is running with the Ugandan authorities.
Twitter: @kukuwazabanga
“We believe that the time is ripe for Uganda to look for genuine developmental partners who will respect our culture” the petitioners said.
Hon Kadaga does not look like she’s putting on an African cultural headgear – me thinks its a colonial legacy. Rather ironic don’t you think?
Here we go again!!Why not just leave well alone!Theres already an anti-gay law in place in Uganda!Don`t these dumb mp`s have anything more important to concentrate on ,rather than making gays a scapegoat to cover for their lackof sorting REAL issues!!
I wonder whether the speaker, or MP Bahati, were ever sexually molested by their mother, and father, respectively?
Well done faithful MPs who are still standing by this evil bill. MP Bahati should stand for Presidency come 2016, a politician who has a good heart for his nation.
Surely we need leaders like him to take Uganda forward respectively, to be proud of who we are not giving in to western pressure, because of poverty and greed issues.
Again I say well done, we need a fresh minded President come 2016.
We will always keep Uganda in our prayers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Your correct in calling it an evil bill.It is an evil man MP Bahati,whose mind is so obviously warped by hatred,rather than love for his fellow neighbour ,as the bible suggests.Is this the same Bahati who wanted the death penalty for some gay acts?The bible says “thou shall not kill,obviously this odious man missed that part of the bible!