Uganda’s Museveni Pushes Harsh Anti-LGBT Crackdown Amid Global Outcry
Museveni Digs In on Anti-LGBT Bill
Uganda’s veteran leader, President Yoweri Museveni, fired up lawmakers ahead of a vote on a brutal new anti-LGBT bill. With homosexuality already banned in the country, the proposed law would slap up to ten years behind bars for anyone caught engaging in or identifying with same-sex relationships.
Speaking to lawmakers, Museveni called LGBTQ people “outliers from the norm” and insisted more medical analysis is needed to understand the causes. “We must provide answers to these questions,” he said, stressing Uganda’s need for a “thorough” medical opinion on homosexuality.
West Under Fire for ‘Imposing Values’
Museveni also slammed Western nations for pushing their practices onto Uganda. “Cousins and close relatives are married by Europeans and other groups. Marriage within one’s clan is frowned upon here. Should we penalise them for marrying relatives? This is not our responsibility,” he declared, rejecting foreign pressure to change his country’s strict stance.
Uganda’s Long history of Homophobia
Uganda is notorious for its harsh anti-LGBT laws rooted in colonial-era legislation. Since independence in 1962, consensual same-sex acts have never led to convictions—but lawmakers came close in 2014, passing a bill that mandated life imprisonment for gay sex. That law was later overturned on technical grounds but sparked global outrage, with Western nations cutting millions in aid.
Opposition Boycotts Speech Amid Human Rights Crackdown
The president’s speech was met with boycotts from opposition politicians protesting widespread human rights abuses. These include illegal detentions, disappearances, attacks on journalists, imprisonment of lawyers, prosecution of election monitors, internet blackouts, and muting of dissenting voices.
