Ugandan Pres. to Veto Antigay Bill

Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI X390 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

The president of Uganda has said that he will veto a bill making its way through parliament that would severely punish people for aiding or abetting homosexual activity.

A state department official told the DC Agenda that President Yoweri Museveni pledged to diplomats that he would reject the antigay bill. The legislation, introduced by legislator David Bahati, would impose the death penalty on repeat violators of the already standing ban on gay sex, as well as on those who have same-sex relations while HIV-positive.

Museveni told U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs Johnnie Carson on two separate occasions — October 24 and December 4 — that he wouldn't support the bill, according to the DC Agenda.

The legislation is scheduled for a final reading in January.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Gloria
Date posted: 1/5/2010 10:56:25 AM
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta

Comment:
Considering that Christian groups from the US have been teaching Africans that SIN causes AIDS, it is not a surprise that gay rights and the rights of people living with HIV have been so badly trampled upon. For decades now, we have sat back and allowed the Christian groups to spread the lies. No more christian discrimination. We don't allow it here. Why do we turn a blind eye when they take their tactics elsewhere?
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Name: Richard Crozier
Date posted: 1/5/2010 12:15:47 AM
Hometown: Sydney, Australia

Comment:
The sooner that straight people come to realise that being gay is not a choice but we are born with this orientation. Like being lefthanded (me), I had no choice in the matter. Why should straight people be the only ones to experience love and partnership?
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Name: Scott
Date posted: 12/21/2009 11:07:22 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
The fact that they want the death penalty for being HIV positive and having sex with someone of the same sex tells me that they are very undereducated about HIV. Someone needs to tell them that the virus does not discriminate, and it will do the same thing to a man or a woman, gay or straight. Hopefully they can be like America and not kill gays but allow them to exist with a lower level of rights.
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Name: Ginelle
Date posted: 12/21/2009 3:04:11 PM
Hometown: British Columbia, Canada

Comment:
If the President vetos this insane bill, then a great sigh of relief will come from the hearts of not only Gay men and women in Uganda, but from around the world. Anyone with any sense of human compassion what so ever, would not have initiated this bill in the first place and should be called before the World Court for instigating hate crimes and crimes against humanity.
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Name: Steve
Date posted: 12/21/2009 2:58:33 PM
Hometown: Albany, NY

Comment:
The Ugandan president MUST be pressed for specifics on HOW and WHEN he will prevent this legislation will be stopped.

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