A Ugandan Minister, Simon Lokodo, who requested that people found to be gay be sentenced to death on Saturday lost his seat and is no longer a member of the country’s parliament.
Lokodo was Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity. He lobbied for the death penalty for gay relations for years. He was defeated in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries by Baatom Ben Koryang
The primaries was conducted for Dodoth West in Uganda’s Karenga District.
Koryang, the winner, had previously worked as a District Community Development Officer.
He secured a seat in Parliament as an MP with 2,932 votes. Lokodo trailed close behind with 2,632, according to local media.
The 49-year-old said the government is thawing its “Kill the Gays” bill, which was thwarted on a technicality five years ago and threw his weight behind it.
Not only would the revamped bill mandate the death penalty for gay people, but it would also criminalise anyone involved in its “promotion and recruitment.
“Homosexuality is not natural to Ugandans, but there has been a massive recruitment by gay people in schools, and especially among the youth, where they are promoting the falsehood that people are born like that,” Lokodo said at the time.
Uganda’s current penal law is limited. It criminalises the act.
“We want it made clear that anyone who is even involved in promotion and recruitment has to be criminalised as well. Those who partake in the despicable act will be given the death sentence.”
The proposal of the bill sent shivers through the queer community, and while the legislation’s revival was squashed by ruling lawmakers, activists reported an unparalleled surge in hate crime as it was debated in Parliament.
