The Anti Homosexuality Bill (2009) is currently sitting at #7 on the list of Business to Follow.
It appears to be delayed as today is taken up with the government working out who to approach for money:
I) Request to borrow US $34,050,000 from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) financing enhanced national food security through increased rice production project.
II) Request to borrow US $12,000,000 from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and another US $15,000,000 from the Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) to finance the Masaka – Bukakata road project.
III) Request to borrow up to US $9.75 million from the Islamic Development (IDB) to support the scaling up and replication of Millenium Villages Project (MVP) in Uganda.
All of this whilst Keith Muhakanizi, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, is explaining how the Kill the Gays Bill is damaging Uganda's economy:
“I have never seen a country like this where politicians hurt the economy instead of building it.”
Any bank would be rather foolish to invest in a country that is deliberately damaging its own economy to pursue a bill which flies in the face of human rights.
We urge you to point this out to both the Islamic Development Bank, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, and OPEC Fund for International Development. Even if they don't agree on human rights grounds, they should at least have enough economic sense to show concern. Not least the level of corruption occurring in Uganda.
Islamic Development Bank: It appears that their Contact Form is broken. Try: info@isdb.org
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa: badea@badea.org
OPEC Fund for International Development: info@ofid.org
Here's my letter:
ReplyDeleteDear Sir/Madam,
You may be aware that Uganda’s Parliament is looking to pass a vehemently anti-human rights bill which would pave the way for persecution and violence towards gay people in the country.
The Bahati Bill was first tabled in 2009 and is currently #7 on the Notice of Business to Follow.
It has come to wide public attention that the Government of Uganda plan to approach your bank for a loan: $34,050,000 to increase rice production and $9.75 to scale up a Millennium Village project.
I would like to ask you to suspend all financial loans to Uganda until the Bahati Bill has been removed from the table.
Even if you don’t agree on human rights grounds, you cannot argue with financial sense. Recently, Keith Muhakanizi, Deputy Secretary to the Ugandan Treasury, spoke out about how the Bahati Bill is damaging Uganda’s economy, stating:
“I have never seen a country like this where politicians hurt the economy instead of building it.”
Taking a stand on this point makes both moral and economic sense.
Agreeing further loans suggests that an investor places their own financial interests higher than the value of human life and dignity.
As a large investor in Uganda’s economy, you have the opportunity to make a difference on this matter.
Yours Faithfully,