Humanist

There should be no room in the Parliament of Uganda for ignorant members of parliament (MPs). Ignorance for MPs is a choice, for they are significantly facilitated to be knowledgeable and to legislate on the basis of fact.

We, the citizens, should not accept the choice of our MPs to be ignorant and to use their ignorance to pass bad legislation. Allowing MPs to pass ignorance-based legislation and to get away with it is irresponsible on our part as citizens.

In the same way in which anti-corruption activists decry corruption manifested in money, we should decry corruption manifested in content and quality of debate in Parliament. Specifically,  that which late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah characterised: “MPs waste parliament’s time with half-baked submissions which is a disservice to the electorate.”

It is the job of an MP to research every single matter that is to be debated in Parliament and to only share fact-backed opinions when making submissions in Parliament. This is what an MP is paid for.

When MPs use ignorance, as they did in handling the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, they have not earned their pay. It is corruption. MPs stood up in Parliament and blatantly lied that there was in Uganda an ‘epidemic of homosexuality’ that needed urgent legislation to protect our children from ‘homosexual predators and promoters’. Absolutely false.

Exogenous sanctions are now forcing MPs to admit the truth that they lied.

“Frustrated by the travel sanction, the same MP wondered if there was a way to repeal the “bad” law since it was complicating travel to many countries for MPs.

Another MP expressed confusion over the House’s decision to pass such legislation. He admitted that he had never met a homosexual in his life and doubted his views would be the same if he had.

One MP’s innocent statement, “I have not met even one homosexual all my life,” revealed the depth of prejudice that can arise from ignorance. Other comments highlighted a genuine lack of understanding about the complex nature of human sexuality.” Kwezi Tabaro on X @Kwezi_Tabaro

Uganda’s parliamentary democracy truly suffered a huge blow when Speaker Oulanyah rested. It is not too late though to honour his wishes. And so, I make a plea to Speaker Anita Annet Among, please honour the legacy of the late Oulanyah by redirecting debates in the 11th Parliament to be only evidence-based.  

“Legislators without facts should not be allowed to debate on the floor of Parliament.”, Speaker Jacob Oulanyah quoted by Nile Post.

Sadly, Justices of the Constitutional Court, allowed their personal religious dogma and beliefs to cloud their judgement. They upheld and legitimized AHA 2023 on the basis of myths; they failed to accept reality that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 is premised on lies.