Screen grabs showing the website with messages from gay activists² are being circulated on social media sites.

 

In one, the prime minister apologises to all homosexuals living in Uganda and gives his support to a gay pride march.

 

Homosexual acts are illegal in Uganda and gay people have faced physical attacks and social rejection⁴.

 

Earlier this year, a controversial anti-gay bill, which proposes to increase the penalties for homosexual acts from 14 years in jail to life, was re-tabled in the Ugandan parliament.

 

The bill was first introduced in 2009 but never debated - and the MP backing the legislation says a clause proposing the death penalty will be dropped.

 

It originally said those found guilty of "aggravated⁵ homosexuality" - defined as when one of the participants is a minor⁶, HIV-positive, disabled or a "serial⁷ offender⁸" - would face the death penalty.

 

 

The Uganda Justice Law and Order Sector⁹ website was also reportedly taken over by hackers this week.

 

Ambrose Ruyooka, commissioner¹⁰ for the Information Communications Technology ministry¹¹, told the BBC the problem had now been rectified¹².

 

The government has created a directorate of security for all government websites and tightened¹³ cyber laws to counter rising cyber crime, he said.

 

An activist³ named @DramaSett3r on Twitter is said to be behind the attacks.

 

The operations were carried out by a group known as The Elite¹⁴ Society and the Anonymous¹⁵ hacktivist community, the activist said.

 

On Wednesday, the official website of Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi quoted him as saying: "We have got to expel the narrow mindedness from this country, and begin afresh, starting with a full and formal apology to all homosexuals living in Uganda today," screen grabs on Twitter and Facebook show.

 

A message allegedly posted by the hackers on the prime minister's site on Tuesday said: "Your violations¹⁶ of the rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people have disgusted us.

 

"All people have the right to live in dignity free from the repression¹⁷ of someone else's political and religious beliefs."

 

The East African nation is a largely conservative society and many people condemn¹⁸ homosexuality both as unAfrican and unChristian.

 

Western donors¹⁹ have recently said they could withdraw aid from those countries, including many in Africa, which do not recognise gay rights.

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