- Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday approved some of the world’s harshest anti-gay laws, making some crimes punishable by death.
- Olekina said recognising LGBTQ is confusing the country’s youth and twisting their minds to accept unAfrican practices.
Image: KURGAT MARINDANY.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina on Wednesday praised Uganda’s Parliament for approving the harshest anti-gay laws for people identifying as LGBTQ.
Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday approved some of the world’s harshest anti-gay laws, making some crimes punishable by death and imposing up to 20 years in prison for people identifying as LGBTQ.
Olekina said Kenya should also take the queue adding that allowing recognition of gays and their associations would affect the country negatively.
“In Maa Nation, we only recognise woman and man, nothing more. Giving credence or recognising LGBTQ is confusing the country’s youth and twisting their minds to accept unAfrican practices that go against our culture,” Olekina said on Wednesday.
In a questionnaire sent to several Kajiado and Narok leaders by the Star on the country’s stand on LGBTQ, only Olekina responded and castigated the recent approval by the High Court for the association of gays in the country.
Those who were sent the questionnaire and never made any response to it included Peris Tobiko, Kakuta Maimai, George Sunkuyia, Katoo ole Metito, Mary Seneta and Martin Moshissho. None of them responded to our question on what they think of LGBTQ as the community.
Uganda's new legislation constitutes a further crackdown on LBGTQ people in a country where same-sex relations were already illegal – punishable by life imprisonment. It targets an array of activities and includes a ban on promoting and abetting homosexuality as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.
According to the new law, the death penalty can be invoked for cases involving “aggravated homosexuality” – a broad term used in the legislation to describe sex acts committed without consent or under duress, against children, people with mental or physical disabilities, by a “serial offender,” or involving incest.
“A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality and is liable, on conviction to suffer death,” read the amendments, which were presented by the chairperson for legal and parliamentary affairs Robina Rwakoojo.
Opposition lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa introduced the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023, saying it aims to “protect our church culture; the legal, religious and traditional family values of Ugandans from the acts that are likely to promote sexual promiscuity in this country.”
“The objective of the bill was to establish a comprehensive and enhanced legislation to protect traditional family values, our diverse culture, our faiths, by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex and the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex,” Basalirwa said on Tuesday.