President Museveni assents to Anti Homosexuality Bill

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in accordance with Article 91 (3) (a) of the Constitution.  Parliament passed the returned bill on Tuesday, 02 May 2023.

In a statement issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among, "As the Parliament of Uganda, we have answered the cries of our people. We have legislated to protect the sanctity of family as per Article 31 of the Constitutionof Uganda. We have stood strong to defend our culture and aspirations of our people as per objectives 19 & 24 of national objectives and directive principles of state policy."

"I thank His Excellency, the president, for his steadfast action in the interest of Uganda. With a lot of humility, I thank my colleagues the Members of Parliament for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists in the interest of our country. By their action, we have lived by our motto: *For God and our Country," Rt. Hon. Among noted.

"On behalf of the Parliament of Uganda, I thank the people of Uganda for the prayers and encouragement while we executed our mandate in line with Articles 1 and 79 of the Constitution. We shall always stand for and promote the interest of the people of Uganda.

I now encourage the duty bearers under the law to execute the mandate bestowed upon them in the Anti-Homosexuality Act. The people of Uganda have spoken, and it is your duty to now enforce the law in a fair, steadfast, and firm manner. For God and my Country," she further said.

The bill, which had been returned to parliament for improvement after advice from the Attorney General, has now been passed for the second time with amendments. The law includes provisions for a mandatory death sentence for aggravated homosexuality, which the Attorney General had deemed inconsistent with the constitution. Despite concerns about potential sanctions from the West, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, stated that the government will not back down.