"There's nothing so sweet, so good for man...!" - MP remarks as Uganda Parliament passes Anti-Homosexuality Bill

The Ugandan Parliament on Tuesday, March 21 unanimously passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 today (Tuesday, March 21), introducing stricter penalties for people engaging in same-sex activities.

The fresh anti-gay law - which was nullified by a court in 2014 after President Yoweri Museveni had assented it into law - was passed after a six-hour plenary.

A total of 389 MPs attended the plenary physically while about 55 lawmakers followed the proceedings virtually via Zoom.

"This House will not shy to restrict any right to the extent of the House that recognizes, protects and safeguards the sovereignty, morals and culture of this country,” Speaker Anita Among said after Parliament unanimously adopted the Bill.

"Honourable Speaker, when I look at you and the Honourable ladies in this house, there is no reason for a man to ran after a man for sex. There is nothing so sweet and so good for a man more than a woman," Gulu East MP Charles Onen said when he stood to support the bill.

The Bill seeks to prohibit same-sex sexual relations, strengthen Uganda’s capacity to deal with domestic and foreign threats to the heterosexual family, safeguard traditional and cultural values and protect youth/children against gay and lesbian practice through imposing penalties on the perpetrators.

Strict penalties

When the Bill will be assented into the law, homosexuals, landlords, brothel proprietors, chief executives of pro-gay organisations, journalists and film directors will face imprisonment or fines, ranging from Shs5m (KSh174,000) to Shs100m (KSh3,500,000).

Offences of homosexuality and attempted or aggravated homosexuality will attract a maximum of 10-year jail term while any entity promoting the 'vice' shall pay a fine of Shs100m (KSh3,500,000) among others.

The Bill now awaits President Museveni's consent. Museveni, who has called gay people "deviants", is widely expected to approve it.