The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
KAMPALA, Uganda | Xinhua | Uganda has asked Britain to stop meddling in the local politics of the East African country after London announced sanctions on three of Uganda’s senior officials over allegations of corruption.
The Ugandan parliament on late Tuesday urged Britain to respect the country’s sovereignty.
It is important that foreign partners, including Britain, respect the sovereignty of Uganda and avoid the temptation to meddle into our local politics, including arm-twisting decision makers to align with their value system, especially homosexuality, the parliament said in a statement.
The British government on Tuesday announced that it had sanctioned Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and two lawmakers, Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, over corruption allegations.
Kitutu and Nandutu, former ministers, have been charged with corruption in Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Court for allegedly stealing iron sheets intended for the impoverished northeastern region of Karamoja. The parliament accused the British government of distorting facts to suit its political agenda.
“The iron sheets have been used as a ruse to conceal the real, unstated but clearly obvious reason for the sanctions — which is the Rt. Hon. Speaker’s stance on the recently enacted Anti-Homosexuality Act,” the statement said.
Last year, the Ugandan parliament passed a law prescribing life and death sentences for certain acts of homosexuality, a move strongly criticized by some Western countries, including Britain.
Hm. Which sovereignty is this one now?
Sovereignty to continue stealing our money anyhow without any consequences?
Sovereignty to tell other countries how to exercise their own sovereignty in the application of sanctions against those who are openly corrupt and refuse to be held accountable by Ugandans?
Sovereignty to confuse us using things of homosexuality as an excuse to dodge accountability for each and everything?
As if the anti homosexuality act was not passed by all Ugandans, only by corrupt officials?
As if everybody who demands accountability or takes action against corruption is now a homosexual or working with homosexuals?
When are we going to get serious about dealing with corruption?
Was the real purpose of the anti homosexuality act just to create an excuse for thieves to continue eating in peace, thinking they can use homosexuality to shut up taxpayers who are demanding for accountability and to distort other countries’ responses to corruption?
We complained that sanctions were coming because of homosexuality instead of corruption, now when sanctions are coming because of corruption… this is the kind of foolishness we are being force fed, as if we are children who can’t understand what is happening?
What happened to the often repeated response to the backlash around the anti homosexuality act, “It’s okay, let them put sanctions because of homosexuality, we can manage. Uganda has been blessed with enough resources for us to manage, no matter how much they try to meddle in our domestic affairs. As long as we deal with corruption, we can manage properly, it’s okay.”
Now we have not been dealing with corruption. Now we are not managing. Now it’s not okay, judging by the way we are wailing about sanctions… and these are even sanctions for corruption, not sanctions for homosexuality.
As if the anti homosexuality act is just a permanent ticket for endless eating and the continuous looting of taxpayers’ money, no accountability and no consequences?
Stop this nonsense of stealing taxpayers’ money. Stop destroying our country. Stop this nonsense of hiding behind things of homosexuality to dodge accountability. Stop insulting our intelligence. Stop it.
We are tired.