PRESIDENT MUSEVENI - MY STAND ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE LAW I SIGNED

Before I talk about the planned legislative agenda for the coming session of Parliament, I cannot avoid commenting onthe noise about the anti-homosexuality law,that you enacted and I signed recently. My stand on homosexuality has been repeatedly laid out to all and sundry. It starts with a few questions: “Why does somebody become a homosexual? Is it on account of genetic, hormonal or psychological reasons?” Discussions with our doctors and the other African doctors who had a conference with African Members of Parliament from 22 countries, unequivocally,led us to conclude,that homosexuality,is as a result of psychological disorientation at some point in one’s life-not genetic and not hormonal,as some of us initially thought. This conclusion, gives us a way forward. If somebody is a victim of psychological disorientation, do you criminalise him or her on account of that? Is it logical or fair to do so? The answer is: “No”. Instead, such a person needs assistance to, if possible,overcome his
44psychological disorientation. I am glad the MPs agreed with me and clarified this point in the law. Therefore, thosewho say that the homosexuals will be arrested if they go for medical care etc., are wrong. The law now says that a homosexual will not be criminalised for merely beingso, if he/she keeps the being to oneself. What, then, does the law fight? It fights this homosexual when he/she goes from merely being and starts recruiting other people who are not psychologically disoriented like him or her to be like him by misinforming or bribing etc. There, he becomes a criminal and, if convicted, goes to prison for a period not exceeding 20 years. If he goes further and rapes a person (child, indigent, etc.), he commits a capital offence and he faces a maximum sentence of death. This is the law I signed. These are the three substantive points-being, is your personal problem; promoting is criminal and qualifies you for prison; raping qualifies you for a possible death sentence. Additionally, in Uganda, sex is confidential, even heterosexual sex. Therefore, if a homosexual keeps his being to himself or confidentially seeks assistance from the doctors or priests, it will not offend this law. I have told our MPs,that if there are still some illogicalitiesin the law,such as forcing employers to know who is a homosexual in the company or landlords to know
45which tenants are homosexuals, we shall work to amend them and keep the substance. Therefore, doctors and other health providers,should assist those patients who come to them bearing the three substantive points in mind. I will arrange a dedicated broadcast onthis issue towards the end of June.