Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has defended his choice to sign the anti-gay bill into law by quoting supposed scientific evidence as his excuse.

Ugandan news website Chimp Reports says that Museveni spoke to a cheering crowd at a National Resistance Movement (NRM) retreat on Friday (14 February) about his choice to make the anti-gay bill law.

‘In my role as a strategist and a responsible leader for our country, there is no debate regarding the promotion of homosexuality’ he said.

‘Anybody who is promoting homosexuality we must stop him… this must be stopped by law and harshly. Secondly I do not accept those who become homosexuals for mercenary reasons, thirdly, I cannot accept exhibitionalism of homosexual behaviour that must be stopped and stopped harshly.

The Ugandan President previously stated he would wait for scientific evidence before signing the bill, and he now believes the report gives him the green light to do so.

‘What is important for us is the authoritative statement of those who are charged with the medical affairs of Uganda at this time because they are the ones who are historically responsible. The question I put to them was, are there people born like this? Now they are saying they are no such people’ he added.

‘And if they put it in writing… because this is a historical document…that the one who was running Uganda at that time got worried, asked the experts what did they say about this and this is what they said….then my work is finished.’

A release of the conclusions that several scientists came to can be viewed publicly.

One of the observations states: ‘Homosexuality is not a disease but merely an abnormal behavior which may be learned through experiences in life.’

However, many groups have challenged these findings of the report on homosexuality.

The World Health Organization, the British Psychological Society, the American Psychiatric Association and many more have upheld that homosexuality is inherent and cannot be changed.

According to the horrific bill, a person can face 14 years in jail for homosexual acts and life imprisonment for ‘aggravated homosexuality.’

