Uganda on Wednesday accused the West of trying to pressure Africa into accepting homosexuality after the United States slapped its officials with visa restrictions for tough anti-gay laws.
The East African nation adopted one of the world’s harshest laws against homosexuality in May, triggering criticism from rights groups, the United Nations and Western powers.
On Monday, Washington imposed visa bans on unnamed officials deemed responsible for “undermining the democratic process” in Uganda and abusing human rights, including those of the LGBTQ community.
But Ugandan state minister for foreign affairs Henry Okello Oryem on Wednesday criticised the US decision and accused the West of pushing “an agenda”.
“No doubt some groups in the US and the West have an agenda not only on Africa but specifically Uganda in a mistaken attempt to coerce us into accepting same sex relationships using aid and loans,” Oryem told AFP.
Washington imposed a first round of visa restrictions on Ugandan officials in June and last month it said it would remove the country from the African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA) trade pact from January 2024.
“As guided by parliament and our…
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