Tag: uganda

Uganda Watch: Uganda’s Prime Minister Says Government Opposes the Anti-gay Bill; No Agenda Today

Normally Parliament meets Tuesday through Thursday and so with no order paper on the website, I assume they are not meeting today.

Probably the biggest news on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is the stated opposition of the executive branch of the Ugandan government to the bill by Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi. This news was reported in the Milano Times (Italy) where Mbabazi was attending a meeting.  According to the Google translation of that page, Mbabazi was confronted with a protest at the meeting and disclosed the government position in response.

Another interesting development is the changing of the order for consideration of the anti-gay measure. As noted on the Thursday order paper, the bill has slipped to second item to be considered after the current business is completed.

Uganda Watch: No Business Today; Bahati Talks about the Bill

Due to the death of a former MP, Uganda’s Parliament will not consider any business today. Instead, they will take the day for a memorial to former MP Atenyi Deo Zabasaija.

Yesterday, Melanie Nathan spoke to David Bahati about his anti-gay bill. You can read that interview here. Bahati again claims that there is new draft of the bill sans death penalty which he will read in Parliament soon. However, when a Ugandan asks Parliament for a copy of the bill, the 2009 version is handed out. The report may suggest the removal of hanging but this suggestion does not guarantee that the Parliament will agree to it. Also, it is possible that the language has been changed but the penalty remains — as occurred in May, 2011.

The bill might make it on the agenda tomorrow but I doubt it will be acted on because the contentious oil issues have not yet been resolved.

Uganda Watch: Parliament in Session Today; Anti-Homosexuality Bill Still On Deck

On today’s order paper, business consisted of a review of the Rules committee’s efforts to find out who instigated the chaos last week as well as the oil bills and finance related matters.

According to spokeswoman Helen Kawesa, the Parliament was able to consider the Accountants Bill today which was near the end of today’s agenda. However, the oil bills are going to be on the agenda for tomorrow along with a memorial for a former member of Parliament who died recently. Because of these matters, she was not sure that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would come up tomorrow.

It appears that some of the delays anticipated may not materialize. Although one cannot be sure, it seems possible that the anti-gay bill could come up this week.

Uganda’s Parliament to Consider Discipline Report Tomorrow; No Meeting Today

Monday is an off day for Uganda’s Parliament but according to spokeswoman Helen Kawesa, Speaker Kadaga will call the Parliament together tomorrow. One of the first matters of business will be resolution of the chaos that developed last week over legislation to regulate the oil industry.  Kadaga called for a report from the Rules, Privilege and Discipline committee to identify those who were out of order during floor debate.

I suspect that any MPs identified will debate the committee’s finding and so we could have a contentious meeting tomorrow.

Click the following links for more on the oil controversy and subsequent conflict on the floor of the legislature. For the latest from NTV Uganda, see:

According to the MPs speaking on this video, it seems unlikely that many MPs will be singled out.

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill: An Update

There are several new items regarding Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill that I want to summarize as the week closes. After a lengthy campaign at Change.org, Barclays bank issued a statement indicating that they are quietly lobbying the Ugandan government regarding the bill. Here is the brief statement:

Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill Statement

M2 Communications

“Barclays has a strong history of supporting all aspects of diversity, both in the workplace and in wider society. Equally, we are proud of playing our part in the development of economies across Africa, and the key role Barclays plays in the lives of millions of our African customers. “Barclays is aware of the proposed legislation relating to homosexuality in Uganda and we are engaging at appropriate levels of the Ugandan Government to express our views.”

I have seen nothing from Citibank. The Change.org campaign has over 500,000 signatures at this point.

According to this AP article, David Bahati continues to keep his bill in the news.  Even though Parliament is stalled over oil and internal strife, Bahati is talking up what he claims are changes in the bill. After claims in May, 2011 about the removal of the death penalty were proven false, I won’t believe his current claims until I can check them with an official report. However, if the bill is amended by Parliament in accord with the AP article, the focus of the bill may shift slightly. According to Bahati, counseling for gays has been added. If this is true and is made to serve as an alternative to jail, then Scott Lively will likely take some credit for it. He has been promoting what amounts to coerced ex-gay counseling for gays since March, 2009. Despite the fact that even NARTH has condemned that proposal, Lively (lately joined by Bryan Fischer) continues to promote this idea. The AP article carried an encouraging sign. Apparently, at least one MP on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee was willing to speak up for personal freedom:

One of the members, Krispus Ayena, said Friday that some parliamentarians spoke strongly against certain provisions in the bill as well as the death penalty itself. “There was a dissenting voice in the committee,” Ayena said. “They argued very forcefully that we should not do a thing like that: to regulate what goes on in bedrooms. First of all, is it practicable to regulate that? And there are those who say this is very oppressive.”

While MPs who think like this may not stop the bill, one hopes that behind the scenes there are those who are making attempts to keep the bill from the floor. Because of the recess called by the Speaker and the need to debate the oil bills, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill may not be considered before the December 15 Christmas break.