He wants to approve the law before foreign media to assert "Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure", a spokesman said. 

 

US President Barack Obama has cautioned the bill would be a backward step.

 

Mr Museveni had previously² agreed to put the bill on hold pending³ US scientific advice. 

 

"The president is signing the anti-homosexuality bill today [Monday] at 11:00 [0800 GMT]," government spokesman Ofwono Opondo told Reuters news agency.

 

"He wants to sign it with the full witness of the international media to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation⁴."

 

Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda. 

 

In December a gay rights campaigner spoke¹ of her fears about the legislation

 

The new law punishes first-time offenders⁵ with 14 years in jail, and allows life imprisonment⁶ as the penalty for acts of "aggravated⁷ homosexuality". 

 

The law makes it a crime not to report gay people. It covers lesbians for the first time, and criminalises the promotion⁸ of homosexuality - even talking about it without condemning⁹ it.

 

The bill originally proposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts, but that was later removed amid international criticism. 

 

A gay rights activist¹⁰ in Uganda told the BBC's Newsday programme he was "very scared" about the new bill.

 

"Actually I didn't even go to work today [Monday]. I'm locked up in the house. 

 

"And I don't know what's going to happen now. I'm talking to all my activists¹¹ on the phone. And it's the same, they are all locked up in their houses. They can't move out. They are watching their back to see what happens."

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