To: the Honourable Stephen Tashobya

Honourable and dear sir,

The Anti-Homosexuality (‘Bahati’) Bill is a piece of legislation that threatens the lives of hundreds and possibly
thousands of Uganda’s citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation or the effects on others of their personal conduct. The proposed bill has shocked the world, and tarnished
Uganda’s image in the eyes of millions.

It seems to many across the world that punishing gay Ugandans for activities for which their straight compatriots are not punished
(e.g. private consensual sexual acts between adults) is a travesty of
‘natural justice’. Furthermore, using police and court time to hunt
down and prosecute people simply because they are in private
consensual same-sex relationships strikes many in Uganda and
beyond as a waste of precious state resources, especially at a
time of economic stringency and rising prices.

Claims that the Bill’s purpose is to ‘protect children’ are, at best,
dubious ones, designed to stir up emotion rather than promote
serious debate. Countries that allow open debate on issues of
human sexuality (something which the Bill would effectively
criminalise) often benefit from significantly lower rates of
‘defilement’ than those that do not. For example, U.K. statistics point
to a ca.40% reduction in ‘defilement’ since same-sex relationships
were decriminalised in 1967.

Whilst I appreciate that homosexuality is something of which many
Ugandans ‘don’t approve’, I am also convinced that there are many
Ugandans who disapprove deeply of any (especially systematic)
persecution of their gay compatriots.

Yours faithfully

Richard Willmer
London, UK

This is his email address:
ntashobya@parliament.go.ug

Write your own letter or say something like this:

Dear Mr. Chairman Tashobya,

I appeal to you and your fellow Members of Parliament to do the honorable thing. Show the world that you have the courage to show compassion and show respect for the diversity of all of Uganda’s citizens, and not because foreign contries are calling for an aid cut to Uganda for persecuting people “on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or religious belief.”

As chairman of the Legal Committee, please ensure that Mr. Buturo and the supporters of this bill are denied this opportunity to surreptitiously get this appalling piece of legislation debated and passed.

The people of Uganda are not stupid, and know that his ideology that would judge their own intimacy and breach any sense of privacy is not their salvation. Bahati, Buturo and Ssempa will go down in poo-poo history.