Uganda Plans To Introduce Death Penalty For Homosexuality

The Ugandangovernment has announced plans for a bill that would mean people convicted of being homosexual would be sentenced to death.

It’s already a crime to be gay in the country, but the new legislation is being brought in to stop the rise of what a government official says is ‘not natural to Ugandans’. It’s said that the law may be brought in within a matter of weeks.

The bill, which is known as ‘Kill the Gays’ in the country, was first introduced to the east African nation five years ago, but was revoked on a technicality. The general method of execution for civilians in the country is hanging.

Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation: “Homosexuality is not natural to Ugandans, but there has been a 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 a handful of African countries, including Sudan and parts of Nigeria, although it’s a taboo subject all across the continent.

[source: Ladbible]