Members of Parliament have asked the World Bank not to listen to activists promoting gay rights in Uganda describing them as self-seekers who are looking for greener pastures and once they achieve their objectives, they will abandon homosexuality and return to their ‘normal’ sexual orientation.

While addressing the media on Monday, August 21st, from Parliament, Tororo District Woman MP Sarah Opendi said the world should not be confused by the few Ugandan gay activists.

“I want to tell the World Bank those few Ugandans that are trying to confuse the World Bank. We aren’t going to allow the sexualization of our children, sodomizing our children and calling that a human right,” Opendi said.

MP Opendi asked the World Bank to stick to the business of eradicating poverty in the world, saying Uganda will not accept having the homosexuality sin disguised as a human right.

Opendi maintained that the Anti-Homosexuality Act was intended to ensure that sin doesn’t find its way into Uganda and to protect the children of this country.

MP Asuman Basalirwa of Bugiri Municipality, also the architect of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023, accused the World Bank of suspending funding to Uganda without fully understanding the provisions in the Act, saying contrary to public sentiments, no Ugandan will be arrested for not reporting acts of homosexuality unless those acts are committed against vulnerable groups like children.

“By making that statement, the World Bank, in effect, is expressing a lack of knowledge of that law. Section 14 doesn’t create an offense arising from the failure to disclose acts of homosexuality. When you look at the statement by the World Bank, it creates the impression that everybody will have committed an offense if they don’t report acts of homosexuality. That is wrong. And that is our problem; either there is deliberate distortion, misinformation, or total ignorance as far as this law is concerned,” said MP Basalirwa.

MP Basalirwa also denied allegations by the World Bank that some Ugandans may be denied health care due to their sexual orientation, describing this argument as a misconception and adding that no such cases have been reported in Uganda since the Anti-Homosexuality Act came into force.

“In this country, where health rights are concerned, people aren’t asked about their sexual orientation. And if the medical person did it, they would actually be undermining the Hippocratic oath. So again, the World Bank makes a very deliberate misconception as far as we are concerned, to try and create the impression that when people who are gay or perceived to be gay go to health facilities, they are going to be denied medical care on account of their sexual orientation,” said Basalirwa.

MP Nsaba Buturo (Bufumbira East) asked government not to negotiate with World Bank over the passing into law the Anti-Homosexuality Act, saying such a move would ensure western power dominance over Uganda and Africa.

The World Bank Group recently suspended new loans to Uganda in response to the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.