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Ugandan Official Denies “Kill the Gays” Bill Is Being Reintroduced

Officials in Uganda are now contradicting one another concerning the anti-gay legislation.

Last week, Ugandan Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation the African nation planned to resurrect its attempts to pass a so-called "Kill the Gays" bill into law, which would introduce the death penalty as punishment for homosexuality. The bill was nullified five years ago due to a technicality and was then abandoned thanks to international pressure.

The latest version, Lokodo said, would go even further this time around, criminalizing anyone who was "involved in promotion and recruitment," claiming "there has been a massive recruitment by gay people in schools, and especially among the youth, where they are promoting the falsehood that people are born like that."

Following those reports, however, Uganda Media Center spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has said in a tweet that the country does not intend to bring the bill back, as the current penalty, which punishes homosexuality with imprisonment, went far enough.

Another tweet appeared to be a denial that such a bill existed.

Attempts to contact Lokodo have been unsuccessful. He told Reuters President Yoweri Museveni was in favor of the legislation, and that he anticipated it would pass, as many MPs had been lobbied and had communicated their support.

Earlier this year, Brunei announced it would impose the death penalty for homosexuality before deciding against that course of action due to international outcry and boycotts.

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