EALA urged to reject Sex Bill
The Parliamentary Forum on Ethics and Integrity has urged candidates aspiring to join the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), to uphold moral and cultural values while processing the Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill, 2017 which is before EALA.
The forum said they are aware that the bill which has been tabled and dropped twice in the assembly, offends the cultural and moral values of Uganda and calls on the next EALA legislators to fight it.
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"After all the failed attempts, they decided to sugarcoat it with some popular provisions, but when you assess it, you will find abortion, homosexuality, and these are not our values, this is not our culture, we said we must fight back,” said James Nsaba Buturo, the forum's chairperson.
He said the bill which has been rejected at a regional level and within national governments should not be re-drafted as proposed.
The bill was introduced in EALA in 2017 but was withdrawn in 2021 following contestations registered during public hearings in East African Community (EAC) member states.
However, the assembly recently instructed its committee on General Purpose chaired by Ugandan legislator, Denis Namara, to redraft the bill.
The Gulu City Woman MP, Betty Aol Ocan said she did not buy into the justification of the bill to legalise abortion calling upon the upcoming EALA legislators to oppose it.
"The argument is that our women are dying due to abortion. They propose that abortion should be legalised such that it is performed properly. I say, no. This is like saying let us legalise murder,” Ocan said.
Rev. Fr Jonathan Opio said there were several provisions which are unacceptable in Uganda, highlighting universal access to contraceptives to children without their parents’ consent as key.
"Contraception for everybody in the life cycle is very clear in the bill. If children from 10 years old can now officially access contraception without parental interference, are we still protecting the innocence of children?” asked Opio.
