Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni stood defiant in the face of aid cuts from several Western nations, arguing that aid from foreign nations on the condition of fair treatment for homosexuals is “unreligious” and “sinful.”
“Uganda does not need aid,” Mr. Museveni told a religious conference in Kampala, The Telegraph reported. “Uganda is so rich, we should be the ones to give aid. The only thing we need from the world is trade, if they can buy our products. Aid becomes important only when people are asleep.”
The United States last month cut aid to Uganda, imposed visa restrictions and canceled a regional military exercise in response to the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014 in the central African country. The United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark have also cut funding.
The cuts were welcome by Uganda, because they had “aroused” citizens and made them realize they need to “undertake serious work” to become more independent, Mr. Museveni said, The Telegraph reported.
It was “unreligious” to offer aid along with demands to treat homosexuals fairly, and it would be a sin to accept that aid, he argued.
“The president is a religious man,” said spokesman Tamale Mirundi, The Telegraph reported. “He sees aid which comes from religious organizations that then add demands over gay people to be unreligious, and he is right that we don’t need it.
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“In his speech he made clear that Uganda can be self-reliant, and the aid cuts have woken us up and invigorated us. The president has always opposed aid, from the beginning,” he said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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