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Big biz says Uganda anti-LGBTQ law would hurt economy

STORY: A coalition of international companies including Google and Microsoft have denounced the anti-LGBTQ legislation passed by Uganda's parliament last week.

The Open for Business coalition said the bill, which criminalizes identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, would damage Uganda's economy by curbing investment flows and deterring tourists.

Yvonne Muthoni is the coalition's country director in neighboring Kenya.

“It puts businesses in an impossible situation, either they violate the law in Uganda, or they are going against international standards of corporate responsibility, as well as human rights laws of the countries in which they are headquartered.”

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Among the coalition's members, Google, Mastercard, Unilever, Standard Chartered, PwC and Deloitte all have operations in Uganda.

Uganda's information minister was not immediately available for comment.

The bill imposes the death penalty for those who commit so-called aggravated homosexuality.

That's defined as same-sex relations with people under the age of 18 or when the perpetrator is HIV positive, among other categories.

The legislation is currently awaiting President Yoweri Museveni's signature.

He's not yet commented on it - though he signed a similar law in 2014 that provoked international condemnation before it was voided by a domestic court on procedural grounds.

Last week, the United States described the bill as concerning and one of the most extreme actions taken against the LGBTQ community in the world.