A section of Ugandan lawmakers have called America’s bluff following warning that its $400 million (Shs1.4 trillion) annual HIV/Aids support could be at stake over the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA).
Washington through the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) bankrolls provision of life-saving drugs for majority of the 1.4 million Ugandans living positively.
The continued flow of the financial support has turned uncertain after US Global Aids coordinator, Dr John Nkengasong, citing the anti-gay legislation, indefinitely deferred Uganda Country Operational Plan 2023 (COP23) final presentation meeting due today.
The import is a stalled decision on Uganda’s eligibility for continued Pepfar support or applicable amount, an outcome the Americans have tied to whether President Museveni signs AHA into law.
He returned the Act, which Parliament enacted on March 21, so that legislators can revise some provisions including who to criminalise, rehabilitation not penalty option for individuals giving up the sexual orientation and dropping the mandate on others to report suspected homosexuals to authorities.
