Bobi Wine reacts to World Bank decision to halt financing of Ugandan projects

Kyagulanyi, who expressed his reservations on his official Twitter handle, said that it was not right for the World Bank to only act when LGBTQ human rights are violated, yet other human rights violations, such as torture, mass murder, and detention without charge, were being committed by the Ugandan Government.

"It’s disturbing how institutions like these ones give priority to only gay rights and ignore all the other gross human rights violations, including mass murder, torture, detention without charge, and undermining democracy by rigging elections. Dear @WorldBank, all human rights are human rights," Kyagulanyi tweeted Thursday.

The World Bank revealed on Wednesday through its official Twitter handle that it will be pausing all financing for Ugandan projects over the country’s passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill early this year.

This was revealed in a statement issued by the Bank, noting that Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act contradicts the Bank’s values.

"Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank’s Group values," the statement read.

The bill, which was first passed on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, had at least 389 members of parliament (representing 73%) attend in person while about four dozen others attended via Zoom.

Besides prohibiting same-sex sexual relations, the Bill also seeks to strengthen Uganda’s capacity to deal with domestic and foreign threats to the heterosexual family, safeguard traditional and cultural values, and protect youth and children against gay and lesbian practise by imposing penalties on the perpetrators.

President Yoweri Museveni fired back at the World Bank, saying that Uganda would develop with or without loans.

"I want to inform everybody, starting with Ugandans, that Uganda will develop with or without loans," said the president.

He added: "As a matter of fact, many of the loans in the past were being carelessly entered into by officials behind my back where they were completely unnecessary."