President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has lashed out at Western countries accusing them of imposing gay rights on African nations as lawmakers in the country prepare to vote on an anti-LGBT bill.
The bill which was introduced earlier this month actually proposes tougher penalties for same-sex relations in a country where homosexuality is already illegal.
Africa Today News, New York reports that it has sparked criticism from human rights groups.
In an address to parliament on Thursday, President Museveni pointed out that Western threats of sanctions to African countries opposed to homosexuality were hypocritical because the West also has some ‘weird cultures’.
‘Western countries should stop wasting the time of humanity by trying to impose their practices on other people,’ Mr. Museveni said.
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‘Europeans and other groups marry cousins and near relatives. Here, marrying in one’s clan is taboo. Should we impose sanctions on them for marrying relatives? This is not our job,’ he added.
Mr. Museveni referred to gay people deviants and urged more debate on the matter.
Under the proposed law, anyone who engages in same-sex activity or who identifies as LGBT could face up to 10 years in jail.
Western governments and aid agencies working in Uganda are routinely accused of ‘promoting homosexuality’ in the country, and have repeatedly defended the LGBT community from attacks related to their identity.
Uganda has not prosecuted anyone for consensual same-sex acts in recent years despite strict anti-gay laws.
In another report, the Ghanaian parliament on Thursday held its first public hearing on a new law that would make it illegal to be gay or to advocate for gay rights.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that bull which was tagged ‘family values bill’ is currently before the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which said it had received more than 150 memoranda from individuals, groups, and faith-based organisations on the bill.
The committee is expected to hear no fewer than 10 petitions each week in a series of public sessions before the bill is put to a vote, deputy majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said.
Gay sex is already punishable by prison time in Ghana, but no one has been prosecuted in years.