Speaker Anita Among (pictured) has claimed that Uganda isn’t in need of money brought into the country to promote homosexuality and announced plans to introduce yet again the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into Parliament tomorrow.
The Speaker made the remarks during the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service held at Parliament where she announced plans by the legislature, to lead the country in fighting homosexuality that she claimed is ravaging schools and communities.
“We want to appreciate our promoters of homosexuality for the socio-economic development they have brought to the country, but we don’t appreciate the morals that they are killing…we don’t appreciate their money that they are bringing to destroy our culture. We don’t need their money, we need our cultures,” said Among.
The Speaker didn’t however furnish any evidence of any item in the national budget that is funded through homosexuality, but documents from Government point to the huge part of external funding in the running of Uganda’s national budget.
In the current 2022/2023 national Budget, Government has projected to receive donor grants to a tune of Shs2.168Trn, and borrow externally Shs7.165Trn in order to fund the Shs48.130Trn national budget.
The Speaker also announced plans by Parliament to use its mandate of making laws to table the Anti-Homosexuality Bill again and vowed that unlike the first legislation that was thrown out by court for being passed by Parliament without the requisite quorum, the new legislation won’t suffer similar catastrophe and MPs will be required to vote openly and make their stand on homosexuality.
He said, “As an institution of parliament that passes the laws in this country, tomorrow we are going to bring a bill on anti-homosexuality. We will bring a bill on anti-homosexuality and I want to request the religious leaders that this time around, be there to see who is who. We will not allow saying there was an aspect of quorum, now we are going to vote by show of hands.”
It should be recalled that in December 2013 Parliament passed into law the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and President Museveni signed it into law in February 2014 and 1st August 2014 Court threw out the Bill on grounds it was passed without the requisite quorum in Parliament.
The rejected bill had proposed life imprisonment for people practicing homosexuality, life imprisonment for aggravated homosexuality including sex with a minor or with HIV Positive. The earlier bill also proposed a Seven years imprisonment for attempting to commit homosexuality and 5-7years imprisonment for trying to promote homosexuality.
The Speaker added, “You are either for homosexuality or you are against. We want to see the kind of leaders we have in this country and I want to promise you, we will stand by that. Let us be the loving light that is showing people that this is what shouldn’t be done. What ought to be done should be done in the right way.”
Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga stayed away from the controversial subject and instead in his remarks asked God to help leaders in Uganda to practice servant leadership as exemplified by Jesus Christ, and urged fellow leaders to resist from being self seeking, self serving and domineering over the weak.
“It is my humble prayer that as leaders we refrain from prioritizing our own objectives, but rather seek the vision of building influence and authority than using control and toxic leadership. May the leaders serve with impartiality and aim at empowering the citizens instead of focusing on a few privileged people and abide by the servant leadership principles of empathy, self awareness, foresight, stewardship, and commitment to the growth of the people we lead so as to build enduring communities,” remarked Mpuuga.
