Vunderkind
Social Member
The World Bank has postponed granting a $90m (£54m) loan to Uganda because of its unwavering anti-gay law, which has become a topic of international dispute since its signing.
The World Bank Officials say they are trying to ascertain that the projects that would be facilitated by the loan would not be negatively affected by the law.
The loan is expected to go into revamping Uganda's healthcare sector.
Spokesperson for the Ugandan government, Ofwondo Opondo said the World Bank shouldn't "blackmail its members."
The anti-gay law, enacted on Monday, tightens a vice-like grip on an already suffocatingly anti-gay environment in Uganda.
The law stipulates life imprisonment for 'aggravated homosexual acts' and also criminalizes any activity deemed to 'promote homosexuality.'
The World Bank's stalling of the loan would be the largest financial penalty (to date) incurred on Uganda since the law became enforced.
World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim has declared that any legislation restricting the sexual rights of a people “can hurt a country’s competitiveness by discouraging multinational companies from investing or locating their activities in those nations”.
He said the World Bank would have to discuss how Uganda's discrimination “would affect our projects and our gay and lesbian staff members”.
