Churches back anti-homosexuality bill

Ugandan Catholic church leaders are backing the anti-homosexuality legislation that President Yoweri Museveni signed into law on Monday, writes Fredrick Nzwili.

Catholic bishops have united with the Protestant, Orthodox and Pentecostal Churches’ leaders, as well as the Muslims, to say the law will promote morality in the country. Days before Mr Museveni signed the bill, Archbishop Cyprian Kitizo of Kampala Archdiocese, with other Christian leaders under the Interreligious Council of Uganda, said the law will help end recruitment, funding and promotion of homosexuality in Uganda.

“We draw our authority from our sacred books that teach that homosexuality and lesbianism are part of human weakness that must be addressed at personal level through repentance,” said the leaders in a statement.

At the same time, the leaders say they will show respect, non-discrimination, compassion and love to homosexuals. “We consider persons who indulge in homosexual activities as God’s people in need of our love and compassion,” said the leaders. The law imposes harsh sentences for homosexual acts, including life imprisonment in some cases. The Uganda law follows a similar one in Nigeria, signed in January by President Goodluck Jonathan and which was also applauded by church ­leaders there, including Catholic bishops.

Responding to the enactment of the new law, the Catholic charity Cafod issued a statement that said: “Every human person has a fundamental dignity, as created by God, and each person is precious in God’s eyes. Cafod  opposes all forms of discrimination, whether based on race, religion, gender or sexuality.”

After the president enacted the law, a Ugandan newspaper published a list of what it called the country’s 200 top homosexuals. The Red Pepper tabloid’s list included promin­ent Ugandan gay activists and a Ugandan hip-hop star as well as a Catholic priest.