President Yoweri Museveni says Uganda will not bow to any international pressure over the country’s strict anti-gay law. Museveni, 79, says Uganda is a ‘wealth-making’ country and no amount of international pressure, trade bans or restrictions is going to dampen the spirits of Ugandans in fighting ‘evil’.
The Head of State speaking at his residence on Tuesday, referred to a recent suspension of Uganda from a $10.5M (approx. USH. 40B) trade deal by the US. Previously, President Biden also approved the kicking out of the East African country from African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Biden explained that Uganda is not fit to benefit from economic relations between the United States and the region since it does not take into consideration basic human rights.
“Some people and Presidents get carried away by being linked to foreign interests and forget their own interests locally. For a foreigner to tell you ‘If you do not do this I will not do that’ is really not being serious. There’s nothing we (Ugandans) cannot do on our own. Foreign pressure has no meaning. We can trade with people who respect us. Those putting pressure on us are just wasting their time. It’s their own headache and problem,” President Museveni said.
Apart from trade bans, top officials from Uganda have also been restricted from traveling to the US following a harsh Anti-Gay Bill which Museveni signed into law in May 2023.
