A Ugandan transgender woman who was recently attacked and currently being sheltered watches a TV screen showing the live broadcast of the session from the Parliament for the anti-gay bill, at a local charity supporting the LGBTQ Community near Kampal Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill prescribing jail terms of up to 10 years for offenses related to same-sex relations, responding to popular sentiment but piling more pressure on the East African country’s LGBTQ community.The bill was passed late Tuesday inside a packed parliamentary chamber, and after a roll call ordered by the House speaker, who had repeatedly warned it was necessary to identify those who might oppose the bill.
It was supported by nearly all of the 389 legislators present."Congratulations," said Speaker Anita Among. "Whatever we are doing, we are doing it for the people of Uganda."An earlier version of the bill enacted in 2014 later was nullified by a court on procedural grounds.
Human Rights Watch has described the legislation as "a more egregious version" of the 2014 law, which drew widespread international concern and was struck down amid pressure from Uganda’s development partners.The bill now will go to President Yoweri Museveni, who can veto or sign it into law.
He suggested in a recent speech that he supports the bill, accusing unnamed Western nations of "trying to impose their practices on other people."The bill was introduced last month by an opposition lawmaker who said his goal was to punish "promotion, recruitment and funding" related to LGBTQ activities.