Speaker Kadaga promises to revive shelved gay Bill
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga (L) on her arrival from Canada at Entebbe Airport
on Monday. She said she will stand firm against homosexuality. PHOTO
BY G. SSeruyange.
By Isaac Imaka
Posted Wednesday, October 31 2012 at 02:00
Posted Wednesday, October 31 2012 at 02:00
In Summary
The Speaker’s promise follows her experience in Canada, where foreign officials asked her to block the bill.
Entebbe
Days after her defence against a Canadian
minister’s attacks on Uganda over homosexuality, Speaker of Parliament
Rebecca Kadaga has promised to expedite the debate on the
Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Ms Kadaga made the assurance while addressing
religious leaders and journalists at Entebbe International Airport on
Monday. “They said I should stop the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality
Bill but I assured them there is no way I can block a private members
Bill,” she said.
At the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in
Quebec, Canada, Ms Kadaga was involved in an altercation with that
country’s Foreign Affairs minister, Mr John Baird, after the latter
accused Uganda of trampling on human rights.
The accusation saw Ms Kadaga tell the minister to
stick to the day’s theme and respect Uganda’s sovereignty. “I will not
accept to be intimidated or directed by any government in the world on
matters of homosexuality,” she said, adding that she was not aware she
was speaking for many people in the world, some of whom were in the
conference.
“I was surprised when colleagues came and thanked
me saying that’s what they have always wanted to say but they had never
gotten the courage to. That when it came to me that I had spoken for the
whole of Africa, for the Arab world and Asians,” she said.
The welcome ceremony and press briefing was
organised by religious leaders, former Ethics and Integrity Minister
Nsaba Buturo and the mover of the Bill, Mr David Bahati, all of whom are
pushing for the enactment of the anti-homosexuality Bill.
A large procession comprising members of different
Pentecostal churches, Makerere University students and boda boda
cyclists camped at the airport from 10am to after midnight when Ms
Kadaga emerged to greet them as they ululated and waved placards
appreciating her boldness in Canada.
“You are our saviour, we want the bill now,” one of the placards read.
Pastor Michael Were, who spoke on behalf of the religious leaders, called on other national leaders to follow Ms Kadaga’s footsteps for the sake of the country’s culture and traditions.
Pastor Michael Were, who spoke on behalf of the religious leaders, called on other national leaders to follow Ms Kadaga’s footsteps for the sake of the country’s culture and traditions.
Asked whether she was not mindful of Uganda being
denied aid and her being denied entry visas to pro-gay countries, Ms
Kadaga said such countries were welcome to keep their aid and visas.
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