Uganda vows to implement gay law despite new U.S. sanctions

The United States imposed sanctions on Uganda Thursday over the East African nation’s anti-gay law, which can see homosexuals jailed for life.

The U.S. government said it was cancelling a military exercise and cutting funds to a number of programmes it is running with the Ugandan authorities.

Tougher measures will also follow.

“The Department of State is taking measures to prevent entry into the United States by certain Ugandan officials involved in serious human rights abuses, including against LGBT individuals,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden Hayden in a written statement.”

The US will also discontinue or redirect funds for certain programmes involving the Ugandan Police Force, National Public Health Institute and Ministry of Health, and has cancelled plans to conduct a US military-sponsored aviation exercise.

The White House said the Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act is “counter to universal human rights”.

A spokesperson for the Ugandan government, Ofwono Opondo, dismissed the sanctions.

Mr. Opondo said the contentious law will be implemented except it is amended or nullified by court following a petition in Uganda’s constitutional court by a group of gay rights activist, the country’s Daily Monitor reported Friday.

“These measures by the US government do not diminish our resolve to obtain and exercise full sovereignty. Mr Obama has more on his plate [with the war] in Syria and Iraq, and could be diverting domestic attention for a while,” he was quoted as saying.

The United States provides about $740 million to Uganda annually in development assistance, with much of the money going to agriculture and health- mostly for supply of anti-retroviral drugs.

Mr. Opondo said the new sanctions will be inconsequential as the U.S. had already withdrawn much of its direct support to the government preferring to channel its assistance through non-governmental organisations.

The U.S. threatened punishment over the legislation since it was signed into law in February by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.