Clerics told not to wed homosexual couples

Church leaders under their association of Born Again Faith Federation insist fellow clerics should not wed any gay couples should government give in to donor pressure to drop the proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill.
Dr Joseph Serwadda, the leader of the federation, said recently that there are signs that the government will be “forced to soften on the demands by the gay movement” in order to throw away the already-shelved Bill which was brought forward by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati.
“The church needs to be assured that government will stand its ground, and this evil be kept where it belongs – in the secret closets of those who practice it,” Dr Serwadda told this newspaper.
The Marriage Act of 1904 does not provide for same-sex marriage.
The comments come at the same time former South African president Thabo Mbeki said the anti-gay proposed law does not make any sense.
Recently, US President Barack Obama and the UK warned they would use foreign aid and asylum conditionalities to push for homosexuality to be decriminalised in Uganda and other “conservative countries”.
Uganda relies heavily on the US, receiving military help to fight the Lord’s Resistance Army and has sent troops to Somalia to fight the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group.
When contacted, the Bill’s architect, Mr Bahati, said late last year: “Our position as a country is clear. Our Constitution prohibits homosexuality and we are not in a trade of values.”
Mr Bahati also advised Mr Mbeki to first read and understand his Bill.
“The Bill was brought to curb a several issues including inducement, recruitment and funding homosexuality. His excellency (Mr Mbeki) needs to read the Bill and understand the spirit in which it was brought and the context in which we are talking about,” Mr Bahati said.
jtugume@ug.nationmedia.com