• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Sexual Offences Bill 2024 Introduced, Parliament Holds Firm on Criminalizing Prostitution

Stephen Kalema by Stephen Kalema
9 months ago
in News
2 0
ShareTweetSendShare

The Sexual Offences Bill 2024 was formally tabled on Monday by Soroti District Woman Representative, Adeke Anna, in what is seen as a renewed attempt to address sexual crimes and protect vulnerable groups. However, notably absent from the Bill is any clause advocating for the decriminalization of prostitution, further cementing Parliament’s strong stance on maintaining its illegal status.

The omission of a decriminalisation clause comes amid ongoing debates over the legal status of prostitution in Uganda, with some advocates pushing for reform and others arguing for strict adherence to existing laws.

The previous Sexual Offences Bill of 2019 sought to repeal Sections 137, 138, and 139 of the Penal Code Act, which criminalises prostitution, prescribing penalties of up to seven years in prison for offenders. However, this proposal faced strong resistance from conservative MPs, religious groups, and sections of the public, who view prostitution as a moral issue that should not be legalised.

By choosing not to include a decriminalization clause in the 2024 version of the Bill, Parliament has signalled its unwavering commitment to criminalizing prostitution. According to Hon. Adeke Anna, the decision reflects the sentiment of the majority in Parliament, who believe that decriminalizing prostitution would erode societal values, promote moral decay, and lead to increased exploitation of vulnerable women and children.

The exclusion of the decriminalization clause proves that as Parliament, stand firmly against the legalization of prostitution. With the defence of protecting the country’s cultural values and ensuring that the law reflects the moral foundations of Uganda’s society.

Many MPs on the legal committee echoed this sentiment with several lawmakers emphasizing that the criminalization of prostitution is necessary to uphold public decency and protect vulnerable individuals from being drawn into the trade. One MP from the conservative faction stated, “We are not just passing laws, we are defending the moral integrity of our nation. Decriminalizing prostitution would send the wrong message and open the floodgates to other social problems.”

The exclusion of any decriminalization clause is a significant departure from the discussions surrounding the 2019 Bill, which saw advocates arguing for a more progressive approach to prostitution. They had called for the removal of criminal penalties, citing that adult, consensual sex should not be regulated by the state and that decriminalization would lead to better health outcomes and legal protections for sex workers.

Proponents also argued that regulating prostitution could allow the government to create safer working environments for sex workers, address public health concerns such as the spread of HIV/AIDS, and reduce human trafficking. However, these arguments were consistently met with opposition from the majority of lawmakers, religious leaders, and civil society groups, who maintained that decriminalizing prostitution would undermine Uganda’s cultural and religious values.

President Yoweri Museveni’s stance on the matter has played a significant role in shaping the current direction of the Sexual Offences Bill. In 2021, when the President returned the Sexual Offences Bill for reconsideration, he urged Parliament to focus on a comprehensive review of the country’s criminal laws, rather than introducing piecemeal amendments.

His call for a holistic approach to law reform was widely accepted, leading to a deliberate decision by Parliament to omit any reference to decriminalizing prostitution in the current Bill.

Museveni has consistently expressed concerns about the social and moral implications of legalizing prostitution, reinforcing Parliament’s conservative approach to the matter. His influence has been a key factor in ensuring that the criminalization of prostitution remains intact.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

News

President Museveni advocates for group-owned companies among artisans 

15th July 2025 at 22:59
News

President Museveni flags off reconstruction of Salaama-Munyonyo road, emphasizes accountable leadership and wealth creation 

15th July 2025 at 22:54
News

President Museveni rallies Kampala mechanics to actively embrace wealth creation efforts

15th July 2025 at 10:08
Next Post
Kiteezi landfill

Kiteezi Landfill Disaster Looms as Corruption Allegatiions Surface: More Lives at Risk

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1137 shares
    Share 455 Tweet 284
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    57 shares
    Share 23 Tweet 14
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    41 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2291 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 573
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    52 shares
    Share 21 Tweet 13
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Pearl Tower Business Park owned by Uganda's richest man Sudhir Ruparelia is now complete.

A Tour of Pearl Business Park: Kampala’s Pinnacle of Progress and Prestige

16th July 2025 at 01:43
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Pearl Tower Business Park owned by Uganda's richest man Sudhir Ruparelia is now complete.

A Tour of Pearl Business Park: Kampala’s Pinnacle of Progress and Prestige

16th July 2025 at 01:43

Rotary New Year Launch Kicks Off with Grandeur at Speke Resort Munyonyo

16th July 2025 at 01:30

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda