Dear President Museveni, please do not sign the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law. Please hid the advice of the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) that we are not in need of a new law, but rather, we have the option of amending the penal code.

Mr. President, the ODPP has also indicated that the bill if made into law is legally technically flawed. And, besides, there are already laws in place for which the penal code can be amended to accommodate the nuances in the flawed Anti-Homosexuality bill.

For example, there are laws which deal with assault, rape, sexual relations with a minor, etc., for which the penal code can be amended to specify the nature of sexual offences related to homosexuality.

What the flawed Anti-Homosexuality bill achieves, Mr. President, if you authorize it into law, is significant trauma to us, the people. The propensity is high for it to be abused by our tormentors – jilted lovers, political opponents, disgruntled employers and employees, and others.

And, sincerely, Mr. President, scientifically speaking, people who are homosexuals aren’t the majority of Ugandans – this is a fact demographically. It also seems to me that the focus of our members of parliament (MPs) is on man-to-man sexual intercourse – with them lamenting about “ripped anuses”.

Mr. President, what are the facts here – how many men and boys are known to have gotten “ripped anuses” on account of sexual intercourse here in Uganda and in what period? What is the empirical data. Where is it so we may subject it to scientific intellectual discourse for the greater good.

Am not saying they are not there, but let us be real. If the Anti-Homosexuality bill becomes law, what is the likelihood that victims of homosexual crimes will speak out?

It is already hard for women and girls to speak out against heterosexual sexual and gender-based violence meted out against us. Well, the Anti-Homosexuality bill, now before you, Mr. President, is simply going to make the situation worse.

It is already scaring victims of sexual crimes to stay mute; and the resultant effect will be an increase in mental ill-health among your bazukulu; which mental ill-health out country has insufficient capacity to manage.

Mr. President, please re-consider and take the route proposed by the ODPP – don’t sign the Anti-Homosexuality bill in to law. Send it back to Parliament with instructions for it to be legally accommodated through the amendment of the penal code.