Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni assented to the anti-homosexuality bill on 26 May 2023. The new law legislates, among other things, a ten-year jail term for “attempted homosexuality”, a 20-year jail term for “promotion of homosexuality”, a life sentence for “the offence of homosexuality” and a death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”. Previously there has been been historical surveillance and targetting of queer people in Uganda, but no penalties nearly as harsh as this.
This is reflective of a spate of new laws across Africa. Their proponents argue that they protect the heterosexual African family and “African values” in a rejection of “western norms”.
