President Museveni and Africa’s political culture wars, By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

6 months ago

Ben Carlson

2 minutes

Reading Time: 6 mins read

In the 37^th year of his interminable rule, President Yoweri Museveni signed into law Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, passed by Parliament earlier in the month. Among other things, the new law prescribes life in prison for persons convicted of homosexuality, a crime that already exists in Uganda’s laws. It also creates a new crime of “aggravated homosexuality” punishable by death; explicitly precludes a defence of consent for crimes under the law; and makes it possible to convict for homosexuality, children who are otherwise excluded from criminal responsibility under Ugandan law.

Describing the law as “a shameful Act” and “a tragic violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, US President, Joe Biden, a Catholic, ordered a wide ranging review of development assistance with Uganda, which may extend to “the application of sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption.” From Uganda, Speaker of Parliament, the exquisitely named Anita Among, who presided over the passage of the law

witchcraft, which, by the way, Uganda’s courts ruled unconstitutional

generalisations about African cultures

foreign ministers of the African Union

“contrary to the virtues of African values.”

Uganda’s courts struck down a similar law

Nigeria’s Same Sex (Prohibition) Act passed around the same time in 2014

Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021,

Family Protection Bill,

Namibia’s Supreme Court ruled in favour

Kenya’s Supreme Court

Botswana’s highest court decriminalised

Criminal Law of Lagos State