- Sean Robson

Homosexuality in Africa is one of those subjects that provoke great emotion, generally a taboo issue most Africans seem to believe it to be a ‘sin’ or abomination against whichever God they worship. It’s an issue so hot that it may be the only one which brings together both Muslim and Christian as it recently did in Kenya when religious leaders from both sides joined together to protest a gay marriage.

The issue has again been dominating the headlines both locally and abroad of late with a number of high profile issues being raised. In Uganda parliamentarians are looking to pass a controversial bill through which will increase the sentence for homosexuality to life imprisonment. Yes, homosexuality is already a crime in Uganda with the current sentence being up to 14 years in prison.

The bill if passed would also enforce the death penalty on aggravated homosexuality.  Aggravated homosexuality is defined as sex with a minor or a disabled person, where the offender is HIV-positive, a parent or a person in authority over the victim, or where drugs are used to overpower the victim. More laughable in my opinion is the news that promotion of homosexuality attracts a prison sentence of up to seven years, while anybody failing to report the offence within 24 hours risks imprisonment for up to three years.

The worldwide outcry has been notable with even Barak Obama weighing in on the subject. Ugandan president Yosweri Museveni, a savy campaigner if there ever was one, has carefully sidestepped direct involvement by claiming due democratic process in allowing the bill to go to parliament.