Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has said that President Museveni’s strong performance in the last election was a direct result of Parliament’s decision to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023. She said the law reflected the will of Ugandans to protect African cultural values.
Among stated that the controversial legislation helped consolidate domestic support for the President, despite attracting sanctions and international backlash.
She made the remarks on Wednesday, February 11, while meeting a delegation of lawmakers from Ghana’s Parliament led by Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Asiamah Amoako at Parliament in Kampala.
“For us, we have already passed the law, which has created many enemies from outside, but internally, we are at peace,” Among said.
“No wonder our President even got the highest percentage this time. The people said, ‘We are voting for President Museveni because he believes in African values and cultures. He does not believe in homosexuality.’”
The Speaker said she personally paid a price for supporting the legislation but has no regrets.
“The detractors out there do not want us to preserve our cultures and values. For instance, in Uganda, we tried our best and will continue to do so. When we passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, I was sanctioned and I am still sanctioned, but I am alive and proud of what I did,” she said.
Among told the Ghanaian delegation that the law has strengthened Uganda’s sovereignty by blocking what she described as the promotion and recruitment of homosexuality, especially in schools.
“We can proudly say that the Parliament of Uganda enacted and passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which is now in force. We stopped the promotion and recruitment in schools and elsewhere of homosexuals, lesbians, and LGBTQ individuals,” she added.
Using the meeting to promote a broader continental agenda, Among called on African leaders and legislatures to follow Uganda’s example.
“We call upon African leaders to enact laws that preserve African values and cultures in order to promote homegrown solutions and strengthen the continent’s sovereignty,” she said.
The Anti-Homosexuality Act drew condemnation from Western governments and human rights groups, leading to sanctions against several Ugandan officials. However, Among insists that the political gains at home — including what she described as Museveni’s record electoral performance — demonstrate that the law reflects the wishes of the Ugandan people.
The controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law in May 2023, introducing some of the toughest legal penalties related to same-sex conduct in Uganda.
Under the law, the death penalty applies in cases defined as “aggravated homosexuality,” life imprisonment is prescribed for engaging in same-sex sexual acts, up to 20 years in prison can be imposed for what the law terms the “promotion” of homosexuality, including advocacy or public support for LGBTQ+ rights, and a mandatory reporting provision requires citizens to report suspected same-sex activity to authorities.
