On Saturday, David Bahati called up his new best friend Melanie Nathan and told her that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would be heard before the end of the 8th Parliament in May.
Today I immediately mentioned the confusion surrounding the status of the AHB in this eighth parliament. I asked Mr. Bahati if it was true that the Bill has been scrapped and he asserted – “absolutely not” and that it is a matter still in the hands of the Parliament and that it can be passed at anytime.
The best update preceding this call can be found on the site of Warren Throckmorton, posted the following series of updates on his Blog Post: In Sum: On March 24, 2011 Throckmorton notes: “This afternoon I have heard from two sources in Uganda that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) has been shelved…” Then on March 25th NTV Uganda provided a report noting that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill had yet to be decided, it was not shelved but that the Museveni administration spokesperson indicated that the criminalization of homosexuality in Uganda is sufficiently covered by other legislation.
David Bahati, as prime defender of the AHB spoke in the report that appeared on Throckmorton’s site , clearly noting his dissatisfaction with the idea that the law should remain as is for lack of clarity on certain issues that he believes ought to be specifically dealt with.
Today Mr. Bahati informed me categorically that the AHB has not been shelved and that he still hopes it will be “decided” by the 8th Parliament. He informed me that the 8th Parliament will continue until the President is sworn in again in MAY 2011 to herald the new 9th Parliament, and that the AHB can be decided upon anytime up until then. He insisted it is still being considered by Committee.
I made several calls to Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee Stephen Tashobya, including one this morning. However, he did not answer, nor has he replied to emails. I know he was traveling some last week out of the country, so that may be some of the absence. However, I also wonder if the matter has been buttoned up by the Museveni administration. If so, Bahati may be placing himself at some risk by continuing to promote his bill.
My guess is that the bill is not going to get out of committee. We have yet to see the Marriage and Divorce Bill which is slated to take place before anything else from that committee. It seems highly unlikely that the AHB would be considered before the Marriage and Divorce Bill, given the promises made by the Speaker of the Parliament and Hon. Tashobya – the committee chair.
Isn’t it odd to see Bahati ‘cosying up’ to someone he says he wants to be hanged? I really don’t understand that.
Warren,
Mr. Chairman is a busy guy. It might be wise to take the hint……
yeah, kinda weird. maybe it’s just for show. years after homosexuality is decriminalized in uganda, bahati’s gonna be repeating the same psychobabble about his bill being urgently needed to address “recruitment” and “promotion” and pedophilia and prostitution and colonialism and sin and hiv infection (like getting rid of all gay people will take care of all those problems)… maybe by then he’d need to thrown in a couple more justifications since none of the above worked… poverty, corruption, human sacrifice, famine, earthquakes, drought, floods, dictatorship… “the gays must be killed and imprisoned because they are responsible for all of Uganda’s problems, if you don’t pass my bill then the wrath of my god shall be visited upon your descendants”.
yeah, he’s real busy. so busy that all these years he’s been too busy to look at bills that were introduced before bahati’s bill… and now it’s all gotta be done in just a couple of weeks.
IF THERE WAS A WAGER I WOULD HAVE WON !!
FROM THIS THREAD THE FOLLOWING DIALOGUE OCCURRED:
=========================
In keeping with its “buy-influence-with money” policy, United States government restored its pathetic donor aid to Malawi. In return for the “generous” gesture, Malawian government thanked the USA and stuck to its guns that the recently expanded sodomy laws will stay in place.
yeah, he’s real busy. so busy that all these years he’s been too busy to look at bills that were introduced before bahati’s bill… and now it’s all gotta be done in just a couple of weeks.
Warren,
Mr. Chairman is a busy guy. It might be wise to take the hint……
IF THERE WAS A WAGER I WOULD HAVE WON !!
FROM THIS THREAD THE FOLLOWING DIALOGUE OCCURRED:
=========================
In keeping with its “buy-influence-with money” policy, United States government restored its pathetic donor aid to Malawi. In return for the “generous” gesture, Malawian government thanked the USA and stuck to its guns that the recently expanded sodomy laws will stay in place.
yeah, kinda weird. maybe it’s just for show. years after homosexuality is decriminalized in uganda, bahati’s gonna be repeating the same psychobabble about his bill being urgently needed to address “recruitment” and “promotion” and pedophilia and prostitution and colonialism and sin and hiv infection (like getting rid of all gay people will take care of all those problems)… maybe by then he’d need to thrown in a couple more justifications since none of the above worked… poverty, corruption, human sacrifice, famine, earthquakes, drought, floods, dictatorship… “the gays must be killed and imprisoned because they are responsible for all of Uganda’s problems, if you don’t pass my bill then the wrath of my god shall be visited upon your descendants”.
Isn’t it odd to see Bahati ‘cosying up’ to someone he says he wants to be hanged? I really don’t understand that.