European Parliament resolves to use all necessary diplomatic, legal and financial means to convince President Museveni not sign the anti-homosexuality bill

The European Parliament voted to condemn Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill Thursday and urged the European Union to find a way to pressure President Yoweri Museveni into not implementing it.


The resolution, passed by 416 votes to 62 with 38 abstentions, does not oblige Brussels to take any action but will increase pressure on the EU executive to respond with sanctions.

"The resolution deplores President Museveni's contribution to the hateful rhetoric about LGBTIQ persons, adding that EU-Uganda relations will be at stake should the President sign the bill," a statement said.

MEPs urged the European Commission to "use all necessary diplomatic, legal and financial means to convince the president to not sign the law."

And they urged the European Union to "establish an EU strategy for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality and transgender identity".

President Museveni summoned NRM party lawmakers to a meeting Thursday to discuss the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, which calls for harsh penalties for anyone who engages in same-sex activity.

 He congratulated the members of parliament for their stand on homosexuality and agreed to assent to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 into law.
 
“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.
 

 
“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 Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka that the bill passed by parliament in its current form criminalizes even those who voluntarily come out to have practised 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 an 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 subsistence. I agree with the bill but my original problem is the physiologically disoriented person. What you are saying is that the law doesn’t recognise him as long as he does not act. But how do you provide for him to come out?” H.E Museveni said, asking members of parliament to make some corrections especially not to frighten someone who needs rehabilitation to come out.

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,”
 
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. We’re 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,” 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. 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 concerning implementing the bill once signed into law.