- President Yoweri Museveni declares debate anti-gay legislation over
- “We shall have a war with the homosexual lobby in the world,” president says
- Rights group says bill would “place the lives of countless Ugandans at risk”
Kampala, Uganda (CNN) — Uganda’s president Saturday vowed to sign sweeping anti-gay legislation, citing what he said were scientific, not political, considerations for a controversial measure in a country that already criminalizes homosexuality.
In a statement, President Yoweri Museveni declared debate on the legislation over and said he was not concerned about the expected international outcry. His remarks, made during a conference of the ruling National Resistance Movement, drew loud applause from supporters.
“We shall have a war with the homosexual lobby in the world, but backed by these people (scientists) and you,” he told supporters.
A Ugandan lawmaker first introduced the bill in 2009 with a death penalty clause for some homosexual acts. It was briefly shelved when Britain and other European nations threatened to withdraw aid to Uganda, which relies on millions of dollars from the international community.
The nation’s parliament passed the bill in December, supplanting the death penalty provision with a proposal of life in prison for “aggravated homosexuality.” It includes acts where one person is infected with HIV, “serial offenders” and sex with minors, Amnesty International said.
In cases where one has HIV, the punishment applies even when the sex is consensual or protected.
Museveni said that scientists examining the issue determined there was no gene for homosexuality and that it was merely abnormal behavior. He said in a statement that he sought “a scientific … not a political answer. Let the scientists answer this. And according to the way they have answered it, if they mislead us, they are the ones who are responsible.”
He said, “The question I put to them was, are there people born like this? Now they are saying they are no such people.”
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