Each and every government across the globe has been passing a bill for the people who are involved in wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the Ugandan government drew a whole lot of attention towards itself when it had announced plans for a bill meaning that people convicted of ‘being homosexual’ would be sentenced to death.
It should be noted that it is already a crime to be gay in that particular country, but the new legislation is being enacted within a matter of weeks.
The bill which has been passed, known as ‘Kill the Gays’ in the country, was first brought into effect by the east African nation 5 years ago, but the bill was revoked on a technicality. The general procedure of execution for people in Uganda is hanging.
Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that Homosexuality is not something natural to Uganda civilians. “Homosexuality is not natural to Ugandans, but there has been massive recruitment by gay people in schools, and especially among the youth, where they are promoting the falsehood that people are born like that.
“Our current penal law is limited. It only criminalises the act. We want it made clear that anyone who is even involved in promotion and recruitment has to be criminalised. Those that do grave acts will be given the death sentence.”
Homosexuality is already punishable by death in some African countries, including Sudan and some parts of Nigeria. This move comes after the government in Brunei announced the death penalty for homosexuality in earlier this year.
The leader of the south-east Asian country, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had announced that the government would delay the introduction of the death penalty for homosexuality.
Meanwhile, the celebrities also spoke out about the decision, with big names like George Clooney and Elton John all boycotting hotels owned by the Sultan.
In a tweet, Elton John had explained it in a nut-shell. He said: “I believe that love is love and being able to love as we choose is a basic human right. Wherever we go, my husband David and I deserve to be treated with dignity and respect – as do each and every one of the millions of LGBTQ+ people around the world.
I commend my friend, #GeorgeClooney, for taking a stand against the anti-gay discrimination and bigotry taking place in the nation of #Brunei – a place where gay people are brutalised, or worse – by boycotting the Sultan’s hotels.”
It was then announced that the laws framed the government would be abandoned.