Basalirwa blasts World Bank over anti-gay law

The initiator of the recently enacted anti-gay law has dismissed World Bank’s objection to the legislation.  The World Bank, Mr Asuman Basalirwa (Bugiri) said, should instead come out openly and be clear why they are suspending loan facilities to Uganda rather than using the law because the relationship between the suspension and the law are completely non-existent.

“We think that the World Bank may be having other reasons for suspending loan facilities but not related to this law,” Mr Basalirwa said.

Addressing journalists during a press briefing at Parliament yesterday, the legislator said the official statement by the World Bank issued on August 8 has crucial major issues that need to be queried. 

In its communication, the Bank partly said Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values.

For this reason, the Bank said no new public financing to Uganda will be presented to the board of executive directors until the efficacy of the additional measures has been tested.

“They state that this law will fundamentally undermine the health rights of Ugandans, this law is discriminatory, and this law is exclusive in nature. We want to address that specifically. By making that statement, the World Bank is in-effect expressing lack of knowledge of this law,” Mr Basalirwa said.

“Section 14 of the law does not create an offence arising out of failure to disclose acts of homosexuality. There is no offence. It only places a duty on Ugandans to report acts of homosexuality to police for appropriate action. Now what happens if you don’t report? You don’t commit an offence. Now that civic duty is derived from our Constitution for every Ugandan to report acts of crime,” he added.

The Bank, Mr Basalirwa further explained, made a misconception on same-sex couples being denied treatment at health facilities.

“The World Bank makes a deliberate misconception as far as we are concerned to try and create an impression that when people who are gay go to health facilities, they are going to be denied medical care on account of their sexual orientation. That does not happen and it will not happen because that in itself is against our laws and offends our Constitution,” he said.

And in response to the Bank’s statement that the law was contradicting World Bank’s values, Mr Basalirwa asked, “Who told the World Bank that their values are our values?”

A section of other MPs at the press conference nodded in agreement before adding their own submissions.

Ms Sarah Opendi (Tororo Woman MP) said: “The law that we passed is intended to ensure that sin does not find its way into this country. I want to request the World Bank to stick to its core mandate, which is providing long-term economic development and eradicating or reducing poverty from countries.”

Mr Nsaba Buturo (Bufumbira County East MP) said: “Perhaps we should be thanking God for the threat as it will force Ugandans to finally say, ‘we can do without them’.”

Mr Ronald Balimwezo (Nakawa East MP) was in agreement saying it must be a sign that “we needed to start depending more on ourselves”.

Mr Richard Gafabusa (Bwamba County MP) said maybe the World Bank needed to go back and review their decision because ordinary Ugandans, including those of the same-sex gender were going to suffer because of the Bank’s decision.

“Who is going to suffer? It can’t be the President, MPs, Cabinet but rather the local person who is being targeted by the support that the government gets from the World Bank,” Mr Gafubusa said.

The responses from the legislators follow President Museveni’s latest condemnation of the World Bank decision. 

Mr Museveni last week said in a statement that the World Bank and other external factors have no capacity to interrupt the country’s transformational journey.

Concern

In its communication, the World Bank partly said Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values.