By Prince Kurupati
On May 29 2023, long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni passed the Anti-Homosexuality law. Immediately after, ordinary citizens and organisations from both within Uganda and beyond the country’s borders poured their hearts out in response to the passing of the law. The response included both support and condemnation of the law.
Perhaps the biggest and most worrisome condemnation came from the World Bank. In a scathing statement, the World Bank said that “no new public financing for Uganda” would be submitted to the financial institution’s board of directors as the new law passed by the country runs contrary to the institution’s values of eradicating “poverty on a liveable planet”. The World Bank currently finances several projects in Uganda with Reuters reporting that the Bank’s “current investment portfolio in Uganda is $5.2 billion”.
Also adding his voice to the condemnation of the law hence emboldening the stance taken by the World Bank was the American President Joe Biden. President Biden described the law as a “serious attack” The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also weighed in saying the passing of the anti-homosexuality law is a serious “concern” and it comes at a time when the world is looking to advance all human rights.
Putting more pressure on the World Bank to keep to its guns is the U.S. Congress. In a letter signed by several Congress members including Joyce Beatty (Ohio), Steven Horsford and Dina Titus (Nevada), the lawmakers said that the World Bank should stick to its guns otherwise it risks giving a wrong “signal to the Ugandan government and other governments considering similar laws, and LGBTQ+ people around the world that the World Bank does not truly value inclusion and that its commitments to non-discrimination are disingenuous.”
The criticism that the law received however did not frighten the Ugandan president who remained firm and vowed to move his country forward “with or without loans” from the World Bank. In a statement posted on the newly rebranded online platform X (formerly Twitter), President Museveni said, “It is therefore unfortunate that the World Bank and other actors dare to want to coerce us into abandoning our faith, culture, principles and sovereignty, using money. They really underestimate all Africans. We do not need pressure from anybody to know how to solve problems in our society. They are our problems.”
Furthermore, the Ugandan leader said that money regardless of how much it is will not persuade the country to abandon its values. In another ‘X’ post, the leader said, “It is therefore regrettable that the World Bank and others are trying to pressure us to abandon our faith, culture, principles, and sovereignty, using money.”
President Museveni however showed that not all is lost when it comes to the relations between Uganda and the World Bank when he said, “We are continuing to talk with the World Bank so that both they and we avoid this diversion if possible”. These words were also reinforced by the Ugandan information minister Chris Baryomunsi.
“Consultations are still ongoing between the Ugandan government and the World Bank on issues surrounding the anti-homosexuality law,” Minister Baryomunsi said. He went further stating “However, the World Bank and others should be reminded that Uganda is a sovereign country, making decisions in the interests of its people, and this is the spirit of the anti-homosexuality law.”
Following the condemnation by the World Bank, Uganda’s Parliament according to Reuters will conduct an emergency vote of a revised 2023-2024 (June-July) budget that will reflect the impact of the bank’s loan suspension. Economic analysts predict that the impact will be huge as the early indications show. Perhaps justifying this is that soon after the passing of the law, Uganda’s shilling plunged, taking its deepest dive in nearly eight years.
In as much as the criticism levelled against the anti-homosexuality law is in regards to the infringement of the concept of human rights, some are largely critical of the penalties to which offenders are liable. Those accused and convicted of “aggravated homosexuality” (caught having sex) will receive the death penalty. This penalty has not been applied in the country for many years now regardless of there having been several individuals convicted of heinous crimes including mass murder. Those accused and convicted of simply “promoting” LGBTQ issues stand to receive prison sentences of 10 to 20 years.
Moreover, some medical specialists fear that the law will force all members of the LGBT+ community not to seek medical attention for fear of stigmatization at healthcare centres. This in essence will necessitate the spread of diseases especially STIs and STDs as well as HIV/AIDS.
In the wake of the passing of the law, a seemingly silent discord has however emerged as the Ugandan Ministry of Health issued a statement saying no one should be “discriminated against or stigmatised” for reasons of “gender, religion, ethnicity, social or economic status or sexual orientation”. It’s to be seen therefore moving into the future if the health ministry will stick to this when the anti-homosexuality law criminalises some instances of sexual orientation.
Sexual Minorities Uganda executive director Frank Mugisha said “The lived reality for LGBTQ Ugandans living under this law tells a very different story – one filled with discrimination, fear, and violence because of this law and those who support it… The only way forward is for Uganda’s courts to stand up for the principle of non-discrimination – already enshrined in our constitution – and rule that the law is unconstitutional as soon as possible”.
*Culled From August Edition of PAV Magazine
