Uganda accused the World Bank of using pressure to pass an anti-gay law

President Yoweri Museveni has stated that the institution undervalues Africa and that the continent should be given the freedom to address its own issues.

Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, has alleged that the World Bank is trying to pressure his country into reneging on its values and sovereignty.

Following the World Bank’s statement on Tuesday that it will not accept further loans for Kampala due to a country-wide anti-gay law adopted in May, Museveni made his remarks.

The school said that the law, which calls for the death penalty for specific same-sex offences and a 20-year prison term for advocating homosexuality, was against its core principles.

The Ugandan president described the bank’s decision as “unfortunate” in a statement released on Wednesday, but he promised that his nation will “develop with or without loans.”

“They undervalue all Africans significantly. Nobody needs to put any pressure on us; we already know how to address issues in our society. They are issues we have,” he said.

Since the Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed, Museveni’s administration has come under heavy criticism, and human rights organisations and activists have increased their calls for sanctions against state officials.

In contrast to activists’ assertions that the new law legitimises “homophobia and transphobia,” the government insists that it is vital to protect cultural norms and stop “disoriented” LGBTQ individuals from recruiting others.

Following the US government’s implementation of visa restrictions on the proponents of the anti-gay law in June and the possibility of additional action against officials involved for human rights breaches, the World Bank is the most recent organisation to impose sanctions on the East African nation.

This week, the bank came to the decision that no additional public funding for Kampala will be allowed unless the effectiveness of extra anti-discrimination safeguards in the projects it supports has been evaluated.

In order to “avoid this diversion if possible,” Uganda and the bank are still in discussions, according to President Museveni on Wednesday.