Without any warning and nary any debate, without even a required quorum, Speaker of the Parliament Rebecca Kadaga kept her promise — one year late — to pass Uganda‘s internationally infamous “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” as a Christmas present to her country’s Christians. Perhaps she was spurred by the Supreme Court of India last week re-criminalizing gay sex, and decided she had waited long enough to do just that.
The bill, once labeled the “Kill the Gays” bill, thanks to its provision requiring the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” now reportedly mandates life in prison for conviction of the “crime” of repeated acts of gay sex.
It is unclear that the death penalty has been removed, although reports claim it has.
Breaking News : I am officially illegal : Uganda Parliament passes the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009 — Dr. Frank Mugisha (@frankmugisha) December 20, 2013
“This is a victory for Uganda. I am glad the parliament has voted against evil,” David Bahati, the bill’s original sponsor, told AFP:
While homosexuality was already illegal, the new bill stiffens penalties and also criminalises the public promotion of homosexuality — including discussions by rights groups. The bill sparked a strong reaction from activists. “I am officially illegal,” Ugandan gay activist Frank Mugisha said after the vote. Leslie Lefkow of Human Rights Watch said that President Yoweri Museveni “should not sign the abhorrent anti-homosexuality law just passed”.
It is assumed President Yoweri Museveni will sign the bill into law, “as early as tomorrow,” Gay Star News reports, adding:
Ugandan LGBTI people are said to be ‘panicked’ and ‘afraid for their lives’. It has already been predicted it will lead to more deaths in the LGBTI community. Speaking to Gay Star News, Mugisha said: ‘I am just shocked. I don’t know what to do. ‘I didn’t expect it to come today. I thought there was still more time. I’m really shocked. All of our allies were caught unaware. All of us were unaware. ‘We are going to oppose the bill because it is very unconstitutional. We will do everything we can to oppose it. ‘We need the international community to draw attention to the bill being passed. We need a lot of attention right now. I am very disappointed. All of my colleagues are panicking. They believe there is going to be a hunt. They think it is already law. And they believe they will die.
“Ugadans hv really over waited for this Bill, may they have a good christmas”- MP Benson Obua #AntiHomoDebate. MPs praise Speaker 4 boldness — Isaac Midas Imaka (@IsaacImaka) December 20, 2013
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#AntiHomoDebate MPs ask President to assent to the very fast so that it becomes law. They pass motion thanking speaker for the ‘gift’ — Isaac Midas Imaka (@IsaacImaka) December 20, 2013
Image from 2012 protest, by Laura Raymond, the Advocacy Program Manager, International Human Rights at the Center for Constitutional Rights, via Twitter