Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has declared that she has no regrets over leading Parliament in passing the contentious Anti-Homosexuality Act stating that she did it “for the good of the women of Uganda.”
Her bold stance comes despite facing sanctions from both the United States and United Kingdom governments making her one of the most politically embattled figures in Uganda today.
The debate surrounding her decision continues to stir intense reactions both locally and internationally raising critical questions about sovereignty, human rights and global influence.
Speaking in women’s Parliament today, Among reaffirmed her commitment to the law dismissing Western backlash as an attack on Uganda’s sovereignty and moral values.
The Act which was signed into law by President Museveni in 2023 prescribes severe penalties like life imprisonment for same-sex relationships drawing international condemnation.
In response, the U.S. and UK imposed sanctions on Speaker Among including travel bans and financial restrictions. But rather than retreating, she has doubled down portraying herself as a patriotic leader willing to bear the consequences of what she calls a “necessary” law.
Speaker Among passionately rallied support for the MPs who passed the law urging women to applaud them for their courage.
“I want you ladies to clap for these MPs and why am I telling you to clap for them? These are the people who passed the law on Anti-Homosexuality that a woman must get married to a man not a man to a man or a woman to a woman. These are the people who picked the courage though I carried the cross. I singlehandedly carried the cross by being sanctioned by being what, I carried and I am ready to carry the cross for the good of the women of Uganda, for the good of the generation and for the good of this country. We must be patriots in this country,” she declared.
Among’s latest remarks have reignited Uganda’s long-standing battle between cultural conservatism and international human rights advocacy.
Supporters of the law argue that it upholds Ugandan values and protects traditional family structures. Critics however, see it as an oppressive and discriminatory policy that violates fundamental human rights and exposes LGBTQ+ individuals to persecution.
Her assertion that she passed the law “for the good of the women of Uganda” has particularly drawn attention. Some people interpret it as a defense of traditional gender roles, while others see it as an attempt to frame the law as a measure of moral protection.
The LGBTQ+ community and human rights activists have slammed her justification arguing that the law does more harm than good by fostering a climate of fear and exclusion.
Following the passage of the law, both the U.S. and UK swiftly imposed targeted sanctions on key Ugandan officials including Speaker Among. These restrictions limit her ability to travel and access international financial systems signaling Western disapproval of Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance.
Ugandan government emboldened by support from conservative African nations and sections of its citizenry, has refused to budge portraying the reaction as neocolonial pressure.
Among’s defiant position has cemented her status as a hero among conservatives and religious groups who view the law as necessary for maintaining Uganda’s cultural fabric.
Some MPs and religious leaders have praised her arguing that Uganda must not be dictated to by foreign powers on moral issues.
