The Ugandan cabinet made its clearest attempt yet to rid the legislative agenda of the "kill the gays" bill. But parliament's David Bahati isn't listening, potentially keeping the bill on a fast track toward passage.
The Daily Monitor reports today that the ruling party's lawyer, Adolf Mwesige, convinced cabinet ministers during a meeting Wednesday that the bill is unnecessary. Mwesige reportedly advised them to search the archives because other laws already criminalized homosexual acts.
Before the cabinet expressed its opinion, the bill had actually been on a faster track toward passage because lawmakers invoked a rules maneuver that lets them pick up where they left off during the previous session, when they ran out of time.
But Bahati, the member of parliament sponsoring the "kill the gays" bill, insisted the cabinet stay out of the parliament's business. Ugandan expert Warren Throckmorton reports on his blog that parliament spokeswoman Helen Kawesa said the bill "is in the parliament now. It’s parliament’s property.”
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/22/Kill_the_Gays_Bill_Isnt_Dead_No_Matter_What_Uganda_Cabinet_Says/The would-be-gay-killers say international pressure is what made the cabinet take its decision:
Members of Parliament yesterday accused Cabinet of bowing to pressure and described the Executive’s decision to block the gays Bill as “moral corruption”.
The lawmakers said it was immoral for government to think that donor funds matter more than traditional values and vowed to push for the Bill and ensure that it is passed even without the support of government. “Whether they want or not, we are going to pass it. For government to come up and throw out such a Bill means we are living in a crazy world,” said Mr Andrew Allen (Bugabula North).
...
Prior to the move, the international community had put pressure on government by threatening to cut aid if government passes the Bill. Ms Betty Amongi (MP Oyam South) says Cabinet has given Parliament a chance to exercise and prove its independence and not allow donor influence to “also jeopardize its works.”
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1223838/-/bjw4hwz/-/In which case we must keep up the international pressure.
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