BY CIARAN SNEDDON (MP)

 

A new bill which toughens laws for gay people and those who don’t report them has been passed in Uganda.

 

The new regulations will increase the penalty for any gay person in the country, as well as making it illegal for anyone not to report a homosexual to the authorities, making life almost impossible if you are out of the closet.

 

The country’s president Yoweri Museveni signed the bill in an effort to assert Uganda’s “independence in the face of Western pressure” said a spokesman.

 

Homosexuality is already illegal in the country, although this new bill affects lesbians for the first time.

 

In an unusual move, the bill was signed in front of an assortment of journalists due to the controversial nature of its contents.

 

Homosexuals will now face sentences of 14 years.The bill criminalises the "promotion" and even the mere "recognition" of homosexual relations "through or with the support of any government entity in Uganda or any other non-governmental organisation inside or outside the country".

 

Gay activists have said that they will challenge the new laws in court.

 

Initial plans were to introduce the death penalty for gay people, but this was dropped following international protest. President Museveni had also said he would not sign the bill until medical evidence from the US showed that people were born gay, but has now said he will only use this evidence to review the law.

 

Ugandan gay activist Kushaba Moses Mworeko, said he is disgusted with the new laws.

 

"I think this will go in Uganda's history as one of the worst events following Kony [the Lord's Resistance Army rebel leader] and Idi Amin's regime. This is going to open doors [for] people to start reporting their friends or people they hate to the police. My brothers or my family if they don't report me they are also going to be charged.”

 

Ugandan MP David Bahati, who guided the bill through parliament, said that it was the right thing to do.

 

"[Homosexuality is a] behaviour that can be learned and can be unlearned. It is just bad behaviour that should not be allowed in our society.”

 

Some sources suggest that President Museveni was relunctant to sign the bill, but was forced to due to the lobbying by his party, supporters and religious groups.

 

Both Barack Obama and Desmond Tutu have condemned the bill.

 

In a statement, President Museveni said: "I encourage the US government to help us by working with our scientists to study whether, indeed, there are people who are born homosexual.

 

"When that is proved, we can review this legislation."