Uganda minister: government to ask lawmaker to withdraw anti-gay death penalty bill

Uganda will ask lawmaker to withdraw anti-gay bill

KAMPALA, Uganda — A Ugandan minister says the government will ask a lawmaker to withdraw proposed legislation that would give some gays the death penalty.

Minister of State for Investment Aston Kajara said late Thursday that the government of the conservative East African country fears backlash from foreign investors over the bill, which was proposed last year and has provoked criticism from gay rights groups and protests in London, New York and Washington. Kajara says the proposed bill tarnishes Uganda’s image.

President Yoweri Museveni has told colleagues he believes the bill is too harsh and has encouraged the ruling party to overturn the death sentence provision, which would apply to sexually active gays living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape.