Activists run to court over anti-gay law
Eleven people including 2 Makerere Univeristy law dons, an MP, and a veteran journalist, Andrew Mwenda have petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging the new law for criminalising what they term as consensual same sex among adults.
Some of the lead petitioners are Prof . Sylvia Tamale, Dr. Kabumba Busingye, Andrew Mwenda, and West Budama legislator, Fox Odoi.
These are joined by feminist Solome Nakweesi and a Human Rights organisation, Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF).
They are challenging the new law for falling short of the required procedure of consulting the public on such a crucial matter.
The petitioners also claim Speaker Anita Among’s conduct during the process of debating and passing the Bill in Parliament was in question. They accuse her of allegedly taking sides other than being neutral.
The group further states in its petition that the new law infringes on several articles of the Constitution that relate to personal freedoms and dignity including, freedom of association, expression, and right to health.
They further state that Anti-homosexuality Act 2023 also hampers the fight against HIV/ AIDs because gay people who are categorized as mostly affected with HIV will go into hiding, fail to access medication, and as a result, will transmit the virus to others hence all efforts the country has geared towards the fight of the killer disease will go to waste.
They claim the movers of this ‘bad law’ hide under protecting children but to them, there are enough laws to protect children against defilers and the country doesn’t need this law that discriminates and criminalises consexual same sex.
They now want the Constitutional Court to anull the entire law so that Ugandans can fully enjoy their inherent rights.
The petition filed against the Attorney General has been received by court’s registry which is yet to summon him for defence.
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