Ugandan Parliament Adjourns Without passing the Anti-Gay Bill

14 DEC 2012.

Today after positioning at No. 7 on the Ugandan Parliament Order Papers, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill has failed to see passage in the Ugandan Parliament.  Speaker Rebecca Kadaga had promised to deliver the Bill by Xmas as an insidious gift to Ugandans.  Her efforts may have been thwarted by the contentious OIL Bill, The Accountants Bill and a trip to the Vatican that seemed to take her Xmas focus in a different direction. Parliament is now going to resume on February 4, 2013 and it is highly likely that the Bill, also known as The Kill the Gays Bil, will reappear on the Agenda at that time.  Accordingly protests and actions against the Bill should not cease, we should intensify the fight from today.

Uganda’s Parliamentary Process | How Easy to Pass The Anti-Homosexuality Bill

The Ugandan Parliament can now easily pass the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and despite the many  petitions by members of the International community calling for President Yoweri Museveni to VETO the Bill, the Parliamentarians do not need the President’s signature to pass the Bill and nor is he legally able to veto what is known as a Private member’s Bill. The process below reflects  the extent of the Ugandan President’s involvement in the legal and Constitutional process of the Bill.
Here is the what is left of the process:-
The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is now out of THE LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE and its Report goes to Parliament for Plenary 2ND READING as follows:
1. Plenary: Mover moves and justifies motion for second Reading of the Bill
Committee chairperson presents report on the Bill (here will hear i the committee recommends removal of the Death penalty – it is not public before this time and then must still be debated)
Minority Report is presented  (if there is one)
2. MPs debate committee report on principles of the Bill
Parliament votes for second Reading of the Bill
Bill referred to the committee of the whole house
3. Committee of the Whole House (Committee of the whole house means a committee composed of the whole body MPs.]
Chaired by the speaker /deputy speaker (referred to as chairperson) sits in the chamber. Speakers leaves the chair, sits at the clerk’s Table
MPs approve clauses, and schedules (of ) the Bill.
4. Plenary
MP in charge of Bill asks plenary to resume
Reports outcome of committee of the whole house
Plenary votes for Third Reading of the Bill
5. Clerk’s office
Clerk’s office prepares copies for authentication and Assent of the president.
Copy sent to the president.
6. Presidents office
Constitution provides that the president shall within 30 days after a bill is presented to him either
a. Assent to the bill
President can assent to it as being an Act of parliament: if he chooses and then
As an Act of Parliament it becomes Law of Uganda and implementation starts on commencement date and the Law is published in government Gazette
b.  Instead of Assent President can send it back to Parliament:
Return the bill to parliament with a request that the bill or a particular provision
of it be reconsidered by parliament; or Notify the speaker in writing about the decision:-
The bill may be reconsidered and then presented again for the president’s approval.
President can Assent or send it back a second time.
After second time the Bill can come out of Parliament as an Act of Parliament without the President’s assent.
However it may become law without the President’s assent if he returns it to parliament twice.
IN SUCH A CASE IT MUST HAVE the support of at least two- thirds of all MPs. It is then Gazetted and Law.