DETAILED: Inside the court ruling that upheld Uganda’s Anti-gay law, nullified four sections

Kampala, (UG):- Uganda’s Constitutional Court Wednesday made a grand ruling in which it upheld the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023, saying the law was passed in line with the values and the Constitution of the East African country.

The decision was delivered by a panel of five Justices led by the Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Richard Buteera; Justice Geofrey Kiryabwire, Justice Monica Mugenyi, Justice Kibeedi Muzamiru, Justice Christopher Gashirabake.

In their ruling however, the judges agreed in unison to strike four sections of the Act; 3 (2) C, 9, 11 (2)d and 14 inconsistency with the Constitution, and that it violates the right of Homosexuals to health, privacy and freedom to religion.

“The Constitutional Court of Uganda has nullified Sections 3(2)(c), 9, 11(2)(d) and 14 of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023 for contravening the Constitution of Uganda, 1995. This was in the unanimous judgment delivered today, the 3rd of April 2024, by the panel of five justices of the Constitutional Court led by the Deputy Chief Justice in Consolidated Constitutional Petition Nos. 14, 15, 16 & 85 of 2023 Hon. Fox Oywelowo Odoi, Prof. Sylvia Tamale, Advocate Rutaro Robert, Bishop James Lubega Banda & 18 others Vs Attorney General & 3 Others,” a statement from the Judiciary read in part on Wednesday, April 03, 2024, shortly after the grand ruling.

The nullified Sections had criminalised the letting of premises for use for homosexual purposes, the failure by anyone to report acts of homosexuality to the Police for appropriate action, and the engagement in acts of homosexuality by anyone which results into the other persons contracting a terminal illness

Below is the full statement from Uganda’s Judiciary on the ruling

The controversial Anti-gay law was enacted majorly to protect the children in schools who were being recruited into Homosexuality practices.