UGANDA – A bill which toughens the punishment for homosexual acts in Uganda has been passed into law by the country’s parliament on Friday, with life imprisonment approved in some cases.

The anti-homosexuality bill also makes it a crime punishable by a prison sentence not to report gay people.

However, there are speculations that the bill could spark up international row as it was opposed right from the onset by the US President, Barack Obama who called it “odious”.

The Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi also opposed the vote, saying not enough MPs were present.

The private member's bill originally proposed the death penalty for some offences, such as if a minor was involved or the perpetrator was HIV-positive, but this has been replaced with life in prison.