Parliament will now start processing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 after the Ministry of Finance issued a certificate of financial implication.
Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament presented the Private Member’s Bill for First Reading on Thursday, 09 March 2023.
Basalirwa also tabled the certificate of financial implication issued on 08 March 2023 and commended the Ministry of Finance for availing it.
Basalirwa noted that the Minister for Finance opined that the Bill should be aligned to the National Development Agenda.
The Finance Minister added that the Bill, when passed into law, will be implemented within the existing budgetary provisions of the implementing agencies including law enforcement, the Judiciary and medical institutions, among others.
“Implementation of the Bill is not anticipated to directly generate revenue or savings for government,” reads the certificate in part.
During his presentation to the house,Hon. Basalirwa said the reason as to why the bill was rejected the first time was a matter of quorum. He has urged all members to make public commitments in form of messages and videos saying that they are in support of the Bill.
The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anitah Among in her communication to the house on Thursday afternoon informed the House that the Ministry of Finance issued the Certificate of Financial Implication (CFI) for the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill
The Speaker Anitah Among encouraged the Members not to get intimidated over their respective position on the proposed bill and welcomed both local and international media which turned up to cover the tabling of the Anti-homosexuality bill.
“I can see a number of both local and international media. Whenever we talk about Homosexuality here i see them coming. I want to welcome all of you, go ahead and cover, for us its about our morals and our cultures and i want to urge all members of Parliament please don’t and never be intimidated, we are doing this for humanity because we are here to represent the people out there, we are the voice of the voiceless,” the speaker said.
The Speaker referred the Bill to the Committee of legal and Parliamentary Affairs and directed to ensure there is sufficient public hearing of the bill.
Parliament on Tuesday, 28 February 2023 granted leave to Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa to introduce a private member’s Bill titled the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023.
The Bill seeks to prohibit any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex, prohibit and penalize homosexual behavior and related practices, prohibit the promotion of homosexuality and protect and provide assistance and payment of compensation to victims of homosexuality.
While chairing the House on 28 February 2023, the Speaker Anita Among reiterated a call to MPs to stand firm and vote for a law that will act against the vice which she said is a threat to society.
“This vice has persisted and the people who are suffering are our children. We must stand up and be counted as Parliament. We need to have a law in place as regards homosexuality,” Among said
The object of the Bill is to establish a comprehensive and enhanced legislation to protect the traditional family by strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional, heterosexual family. This legislation further recognizes the fact that same sex attraction is not an innate and immutable characteristic.
The Bill also protects the cherished culture of the people of Uganda, legal, religious, and traditional family values of Ugandans against the acts of sexual rights activists seeking to impose their values of sexual promiscuity on the people of Uganda and protects children and youth who are made vulnerable to sexual abuse through homosexuality and related acts.
