A Ugandan Parliamentary panel has set no timetable to debate the “kill the gays” bill, reports AFP.
In the past month, Uganda’s government has faced renewed criticism over the anti-gay bill, from countries including Australia, Britain and Canada.
More on the Ugandan anti-gay bill from AFP:
“I think it is useless and will not achieve what it intends to
achieve,” said Alex Ndeezi, a member of the Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs Committee tasked with reviewing the bill before it can be
presented to the house.… The panel’s chairman, Stephen Tashyoba, said the draft law was not a priority.
“As
far as I am concerned, we really have more urgent matters to discuss,Advertisementlike electoral reforms, which are already behind schedule,” he said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has faced pressure from world leaders to drop the bill
Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda. The proposed bill would broaden punishments and in some cases, call for the execution of gays.
In March, Canadian MPs passed a motion calling for the withdrawal of the anti-gay bill and the full decriminalization of homosexuality in Uganda.
The bill’s creator, MP David Bahati, told Uganda’s Observer on Wednesday that Western governments should back off:
“No one is going to stop Uganda from discussing a matter of
protecting our children and families. It is something of great concern
that a country that promotes democracy wants to stifle democracy in
Uganda through homosexuality. Uganda will stand firm on the matter, and
no pressure will stop Parliament to decide,” he said.
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