President of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) has described as “diversionary” the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill (2023).
The bill, which was introduced in parliament this week by fellow opposition party leader Asuman Basalirwa of JEEMA, Bobi Wine says, is a “trick” being played by President Yoweri Museveni to spark confrontation between his opponents in the opposition and their foreign partners.
The bill, he says, is also intended to divert attention from the back to back scandals that have hit Museveni’s government, including the ongoing investigations against several cabinet members over corruption, the NSSF saga and human rights abuses.
“It is interesting that this bill is coming up now amid all these scandals; Museveni already knowns what the people of Uganda think about Homosexuality and what counties in the west think. Now he wants to put people like me on the spot for people to hear how I respond.” he said
Bobi Wine, who was appearing on BBS Television on Saturday morning, stopped short of giving his personal views on the proposed legislation.
He however, noted that his stand on the LGBT relations had “long been known” by the people around him including those in his party.
“You also know that I have also been banned for ten years from traveling to the United Kingdom because of my stance on the matter. This is now the 9th year of the ban. In fact, recently I was thinking of going to court to challenge for my right to travel.”
On the other hand, Bobi Wine questioned the enthusiasm that the bill has been generated by the bill, especially from the heads of religious intuitions.
The Archbishop of Church of Uganda Samuel Kazimba Mugabi has been central in the debate, having recently hinted on cutting relations between the Church of Uganda and the Church of England which came out recently to support same sexy marriage.
Last Month, Muslims around the country, with guidance from the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council held peaceful demonstrations against homosexuality.
But Bobi Wine wondered today why these leaders have been silent about other matters of human rights in the country.
“I am still waiting on the Sheikhs to hold protests against the continuous arrests of their fellow Muslims by the government. I am still waiting for the Archbishop to protest about the abduction of Ugandans and the corruption in cabinet.”
He also accused some foreign governments and organizations of playing double standards.
“With the previous bill, they came out and cut all the aid to Uganda because they said the bill was against human rights. But I have been asking them, if it was about human rights; the people being kidnapped and killed in Uganda today, don’t they have a right to life?”
“I have been asking them that in the same way you used a lot of energy to cut that aid, you should also cut aid because of the wrongs being done against Ugandans by the government”
Hon Asuman Basalirwa, the architect of the anti-homosexuality bill says in the coming 45 days, he will have consultation meetings with all heads of political parties in Uganda to get their views on the bill.
Basalirwa says recently he has been getting questions about whether he had spoken to “one particular opposition leader” on the matter.
“But what I can tell you is that by now, I am confident that no political party leader supports this (LGBTQ rights) …I am confident that all the leaders we are together in this,” he said.
Credit: Chimpreports
