Museveni on Uganda Gay Bill: International Pressure Makes Museveni Jittery on Gay Bill

Museveni on Uganda Gay Bill: International Pressure Makes Museveni Jittery on Gay Bill

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has distanced himself from a punitive Gay Bill due in parliament that proposes a death penalty for engaging in homosexual acts.

Addressing a meeting of ruling party members, Yoweri Museveni said their handling of the bill "must take into account our foreign policy interests". He stressed that the MP, Mr. David Bahati, who proposed the Anti Gay Bill, and is a member of Museveni’s NRM Party did so as an individual and was not following government policy.

He highlighted the international pressure bearing on him to intervene on the Anti Gay Bill. Sweden was the first country to put pressure on Uganda, threatening to withdraw aid but yesterday Museveni listed UK, US and Canada as other nations that have contacted him over the Anti Gay Bill.
"The prime minister of Canada came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays," he said.
"[UK] Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays.
"Mrs Clinton [the US secretary of state] rang me. What was she talking about? Gays."
He said the cabinet would be talking to David Bahati about his bill and would thrash out the government's position on it.

The Old West is at its old tactics again but this time round it is a genuine concern over a retrogressive and unnecessary bill meant to mete injustice to a hapless group of individuals.

The west should be lauded for intervening on the controversial Anti Gay Bill that is hell-bent to return Uganda to the Stone Age!

The 21st Century should be about accommodation of minorities and tolerance in Africa, Yoweri Museveni has realized that no country is an island. I wish it could dawn on him that divergent political views should be accommodated as well!