Uganda’s parliament is going to review proposed legislation that would make it illegal for anyone to identify as LGBTQ+ and subject them to a 10-year imprisonment. Additionally, the bill also includes a provision that punishes landlords who rent out their property to gay people with a jail term.
The Only African Country
According to the campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW), Uganda will be the only African nation to criminalize LGBTQ+ identity, if the legislation is passed. The proposed law includes prohibiting the support or funding of LGBTQ+ initiatives and imposes a ten-year imprisonment for anyone who enters into a same-sex relationship or marriage.
LGBT Activists RebukeThe Bill
Frank Mugisha, an LGBTQ+ activist has strongly criticized the draft bill calling it indoctrination. Mugisha highlighted that numerous violations against the LGBTQ+ community, such as arrests, blackmail, and extortion, have been documented and that this proposed legislation would exacerbate the situation.
