Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has accused the World Bank of attempting to exert pressure on the government regarding its anti-LGBT legislation.
This comes after the lender announced the suspension of new loans to the country, citing a conflict between the law criminalising same-sex relations and its own values.
In a social media statement, President Museveni stated that Uganda’s development would proceed independently of loans.
“Uganda will develop with or without loans”, Mr Museveni said, adding that it was unfortunate the World Bank was seeking to “coerce us into abandoning our faith, culture, principles and sovereignty, using money”.
“They really under-estimate all Africans. We do not need pressure from anybody to know how to solve problems in our society. They are our problems”, Mr Museveni said.
Despite the discord, he mentioned ongoing discussions with the World Bank to potentially avoid this situation.
The anti-LGBT law, signed by President Museveni in May, introduces severe penalties including the death sentence for “aggravated homosexuality” and a 20-year imprisonment term for “promoting” homosexuality.
This legislation has drawn condemnation from local and global human rights organisations, as well as from the UN, the US, and other nations. The World Bank’s decision to withhold loans aligns with US sanctions against Uganda in response to the Anti-Homosexuality law.