ENTEBBE, Uganda — The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament has said that she would stand firm against homosexuality, and that she will push for that country’s notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill to be passed as soon as possible by Parliament.
Speaking at a press conference Monday at Entebbe International Airport, Rebecca Kadaga made the statement after returning to Uganda following the Inter-Parliamentary Union summit, which was held in Quebec, Canada, last week.
At the summit, Kadaga came under heavy criticism from Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird after he blasted Uganda for its appalling LGBTQ equality rights record and widespread homophobic persecutions. Following the exchange, Kadaga accused Baird of being “ignorant” and “arrogant.”
Rebecca Kadaga
Kadaga reacted Monday, telling the press corps and a delegation of anti-gay religious leaders who were there to meet with her at the airport, along with the bill’s sponsor, MP David Bahati, “They said I should stop the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, but I assured them there is no way I can block a private members bill.”
“I will not accept to be intimidated or to be directed by any government in the world because we are independent,” Kadaga told the crowd.
“I will now instruct the chair of the Committee of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to quickly bring the report of the anti-homosexuality bill so that we can discuss it and so that Uganda can take a position.”
“If the price of aid is going to be the promotion of homosexuality in this country,” she said, “I think we don’t want that aid.”
The measure, dubbed the “Kill the Gays” bill, was first introduced in 2009, by Bahati, but has yet to gain parliamentary approval.
Sodomy is already illegal in Uganda, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. But this legislation would penalize “aggravated homosexuality” — consensual same-sex acts committed by “repeat offenders,” anyone who is in a position of power, is HIV-positive, or uses intoxicating agents i.e. alcohol in the process — with capital punishment.
The lesser “offense of homosexuality,” also criminalized in the bill, encompasses anyone who engages in a same-sex sexual relationship, enters into a same-sex marriage, or conspires to commit “aggravated homosexuality.”
Several Western nations, including the United Kingdom and Canada, have threatened to revoke foreign aid to Uganda should the measure pass although Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has stated that while he does not support the bill, he stated he believes lawmakers should be allowed to debate it.
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thanks to help from their American ultra-conservative “Christian” supporters and hate spreaders
good god…and americans thought we had problems
I can’t believe people are disgusting and sick enough to actually SUPPORT that idea of killing people! >.>
Can we get rid of the Family’s/K-Street tax exempt status now? This is international terrorism and lack of separation between church and state at the absolute worst level.
Guess we’ll all need to open our homes to our gay bros/sisters
It doesn’t matter if you “Agree” or “Disagree” with Homosexuality or not, People are People! >.>
Well Id totally be fu**ed if I lived there. Thank God for the good ol USA!
They’ll forever be a thrid world nation.
What ignorance and inhumanity….
No respect for life….
what a messed up way the government there thinks
Makes me sad people can feel so much hate :(
Why don’t we just go back to having slaves, and stoning people while we’re at it.
Did someone say sanctions?
To me it seems like Stockholm syndrome for people of color, who have been oppressed so prevelantly, to harbor and condone hate! Pitiful!
she needs a gay to give her a good makeover.
That’s Whoopi right??? A joke???
thats disgusting!! how can you be that full of hate?:( i weep for the fellow gays in Uganda :’(
Watch Karma come back to bite those anti-gay people in the ass when they least expect it.
Cut off all AID to this Country…let them be “independent”….
STOP THE AID!!!!
They’re no longer a third world nation, to most they’re dead in our eyes…because of the idiots in their parliament and governmental seats.
If they can Kill the Gays, they can Kill the Jews or Kill the Whites next…
Very sad for our brothers and sisters in Uganda
Oh, you don’t want that aid? Every child that dies from dysentery from drinking dirty water? They are all YOUR fault. ALL OF THEM. You think your God would be happy about that?
so sad…..
murder makes the murderer. if religious leaders support this. it reflects back on society and its ethics. killing because of differences shows the words evil. and the evil that only mankind bring. there is no satan. only human evil.
I can’t even…..
Disgusting.
now that is disgusting.
I’m sorry, this makes me really weak to the core of my soul. I can’t believe this. If this bill passes so many are gonna die because of something they have no control over. Take AID or not, the lives that are gonna be lost is sad..
I get it…It’s out of spite to assert Uganda’s independence? “”I will not accept to be intimidated or to be directed by any government in the world because we are independent,” Kadaga told the crowd.”
Wow, i’m sure there are so many other issues in their society that they should be worried about and dealing with… what a shame.
Cut off their $250m per year and then bomb them into the dark ages, where they already live.
Somebody needs to call Sting or Bono and get Amnity International involved! Instead of sending charity or Red Cross aid to this country… how about Bibles with the words “Thou Shalt Not Kill” highlighted in yellow.
You do not serve your people well. And should be sent back to the age without choices for women, as you would pass on to all homosexuals.
Let UNICEF know what an outrage this is. Send your comments here: http://www.facebook.com/unicefuganda
I’m lolling at Terry’s choice. But this sort of thing does not go unchecked and needs to be preempted with massive amounts of positive action. This sort of thing happens in Iran already.
What ashame, killing p’ple b’se of being agay, gay community around the world we need ur support before it starts.
Shame on them. Disgusting
Just think how people who are LGBTQ feel in that country. Horrifying! <3 maria <3
Shame on them. Very disappointed.
It’s discussing to read this. But I am proud of Canada’s actions / plans to revoke aid to the country.
Shame on those people who think it’s okay to not only murder for their screwed-up religious beliefs, but also to sacrifice the lives of their own people as a result. I’m glad the UK is refusing all aid. At some point enough is ENOUGH!
We need to stop worrying about the countries who are ‘years off creating a nuclear disaster’ and start worrying about the countries who are quite HAPPY and WILLING to put people to death on the basis of their sexual orientation!!
…………………… this is so stupid!! i dont care what country it is, we are all as in ALL EQUAL HUMAN BEINGS, china,india,africa,usa,egypt, everywhere we are equal nothing should ever be banned against us!!
we CAN CHANGE THE WORLD but like gandhi said, be the change you wish to see in the world
I can’t even believe this is stilll an issue. Societies like this are the reason homosexuality is still detested and unaccepted in places. Even in the States. I guess it’s a good thing we’re not put to death here, at least.
First they came for the fags, next they came for the slavs, then they came for the gypsy’s, then the jews. When they came for me there was nobody left for me to cry out to for help.
Evil triumphs when good men fail to act. Cut off the aid now, then use the CIA for regime change.
Idiots such haters
They are nazis who hide under the banner of Christianity Im sure my lord Jesus Christ is crying in heaven over this atrocity.
just another country that will not receive foreign aid anymore…
Lunacy.
Why can’t people understand that accepting love is not “promoting homosexuality”.
Heartbroken for fellow LGBT’s! My heart goes out to them. Glad Canada apparently cut off aid to them; sorry for the children! Will message UNICEF maybe mass messaging will put a bump in the road…
Let’s solve this with an exchange program. We’ll take all of the GLBT Ugandans and we’ll send them every ignorant conservative jesus-nut in the US. Everybody’s happy! It’s a win-win.
Thank the Lord I live in the US. And not in some places….not that it’s perfect here but we at least have freedom. just goes to show there are bigots all over the world. Uganda should be concerned more about starvation and not the gays!
Wow, internalization of homophobic British colonial laws at their finest – and the wig to prove it! Giurrl please!!