“Be ready to sacrifice to fight
homosexuals,” H.E Museveni tells NRM
caucus.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
has congratulated the members
of parliament for their stand on
homosexuality and agreed to assent
to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023
into law once a few changes are made
regarding rehabilitation.
“It is good that you rejected the
pressure from the imperialists. Those
imperialists have been messing up the
world for 600 years causing so much
damage,” the President said, adding
that most of the problems and the
instability in many African countries
are caused by imperialists trying to
impose what is not meant for Africa.
This was during an interaction with
members of the NRM Parliamentary
caucus at Kololo Independence
grounds on Thursday about the Antihomosexuality bill 2023 sent to him
for signing into law.
Member of Parliament for Bugiri Municipality
“Therefore, I congratulate you
for making that stand and also the
bishops, the religious people and the
citizens,” H.E Museveni added.
The President who is also the
National Chairman of the ruling
National Resistance Movement
(NRM) was however informed by the
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka
that the bill passed by Parliament in
its current form criminalizes even
those who voluntarily come out to
have practiced homosexuality and
need to be helped.
He proposed a provision for
amnesty for those who will have come
out to be helped not to punish them to
allow others not to fear to come out.
“This country has issued amnesty
for people who have carried out
criminal activities of treasonous
nature against this country.
A similar provision would be
provided in this law to ensure that a
person who comes out on his own is
not criminalized.
In that regard I would like to
beg the Members of Parliament
and implore them to allow Your
Excellency to return this bill so
that we can address that matter,”
the Attorney General said. This,
according to the President, was his
main concern. “The issue I raised is
a matter of substance. I totally agree
with the bill, but my original problem
is the psychologically disoriented
person. What you are saying is that
the law doesn’t recognize him as long
as he does not act. But how do you
provide for him to come out?” H.E
Museveni said, He asked Members of
Parliament to make some corrections
especially not to frighten someone
who needs rehabilitation to come out.
Spaeaker of Uganda Parliament Hon Anita Amongi
The President promised to meet
the Legal Affairs Committee of
Parliament, the sponsor of the
motion Hon. Asuman Basalirwa and
other interested parties next week to
finalize the bill.
“Since we have agreed now, I’m
going to return that bill, and you
quickly deal with those issues and we sign it,” he said.
However, the President reminded
NRM MPs of the need to be patriots
when fighting what he termed as
imperialists. He reminded them that
in the 1980’s they fought to liberate
Uganda with no pay until recently.
“That’s how we can fight. Were
dangerous because we can fight for
no or low pay,” the President said,
calling upon Members of Parliament
to brace themselves for the likely
consequences including cutting the
wage bill which is about 8 trillion
shillings to cater for sectors like health
where promoters of Homosexuality
are threatening to cut their aid to
Uganda.
“One of the things they’re
threatening is to kill our 1.2million
people who have been surviving on
PEPFAR funds to buy drugs for HIV/
AIDS, so that we don’t buy the drugs
for our people, and they die,” he said.
The President noted after
information that the bill for AIDS
medicine is 260 million dollars.
“This is a simple matter which we
can fight but parasites can’t fight. If
you fear to sacrifice, you cannot fight.
In order for you to fight I want to
first cure you of parasitism. Europe is
lost and they also want us to be lost.
Those who want an easy life will end
up being prostitutes,” the President
emphasized.
H.E the President told MPS that
up to now he has failed to agree
with the view of those promoting
homosexuality as an alternative way
of life.
There was a heated yet healthy
exchange between the President and
Members of Parliament on whether to
make amendments to the bill or pass
it in its current form where legislators
assured the President of their full
support in relation to implementing
the bill once signed into law.
The Woman Member of Parliament
for Busia Hon. Auma Hellen Wandera
told the President that homosexuals
once rehabilitated can change, giving
an example of her female colleagues
who were homosexuals but changed
and are happily married with families.
Ndorwa East MP Hon. David
Bahati informed the President and
members that the law he sponsored in
2001 and the current both criminalize
the acts of homosexuality and their
promotion, saying that children
recruited unknowingly should be
rehabilitated to become better citizens.
The Vice President H.E Jessica
Alupo also called upon Members of
Parliament to support the President
and Parliament make a few changes
to the bill so that it is passed when
everybody is contented.
“What is clear here is that no one of
us here supports homosexuality and
nobody has intentions to support it,”
the Vice President said.
Hon Bright Rwamirama called on
the President to be firm and sign
the bill to protect the country from
immoral acts.
“Homosexuality is not sickness.
The bill is before you and there’s no
contradiction at all. Those people
trying to convince you otherwise
want to water it down,” Minister
Rwamirama said.
On the other note, the Chairman of
NRM caucus also Government Chief
Whip Hon. Hamson Obua informed
the President that his office has
received reports with concerns from
a section of MPs hailing from Lango
and Acholi, Sebei and from some
districts in Karamoja about cattle
rustling, asking the President to find
a decisive solution to this vice.
President Museveni assured
the affected communities that the
problem is solvable, and he has
already met Army commanders to
find solutions to the vice causing
insecurity in Northern Uganda.
“We have all the assets to solve
that problem and there’s no need to
worry. It’s not such a big issue. It’s
a problem of command and will be
sorted out. I will have to spend some
time in that area so that I supervise
that work myself,” he said.
The meeting was also addressed by
the First Lady, Maama Janet Museveni
who is also the NRM Chairperson for
Ntungamo district, the chairperson
of the Legal Affairs Committee of
Parliament,Hon. Robinah Rwakojo,
among others (PPU)■
