U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is not happy with Uganda’s new anti-gay law that criminalizes “homosexual acts” and called Uganda’s President Yosweri Museveni to let him know that the Obama administration is deeply disappointed.
Kerry spoke with Museveni yesterday and made it clear that the legislation complicates the U.S.’s relationship with the East African nation, according to a statement released by the State Department Friday.
According to Kerry, the law threatens the safety and security of Uganda’s LGBT population. He urged Museveni to ensure the protection of all of its citizenry, regardless of their sexual orientation. In addition, the Secretary of State told the Ugandan leader that the new bill would have a detrimental impact on the country’s public health, tourism and foreign investment.
Uganda’s new law, which was signed into law Monday, mandates life imprisonment for “repeat homosexuals” and outlawed the promotion of homosexuality. On Wednesday, Kerry compared the law to apartheid and policies that were enacted by Nazi Germany.