Two young women are in police custody in northwestern Uganda after being accused of violating the country’s controversial 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, an arrest that has reignited debate over the sweeping legislation.
Police confirmed Tuesday that the pair, both in their 20s, were detained after neighbours reported them for allegedly engaging in same-sex conduct, including kissing in public.
According to authorities, residents in the area alerted police and supplied photographs they claimed showed the women engaging in acts prohibited under the law.
“Neighbours contacted police complaining the two were practicing homosexuality and were seen kissing each other in public,” local police spokesperson Josephine Angucia told AFP.
She added that residents had raised further suspicions about activities at the women’s home.
READ ALSO: Uganda’s 81-Year-Old Veteran President Yoweri Museveni Wins 7th Term
“They had seen many women going onto their one-roomed rented residence and spending nights there in what they suspected was same-sex orgies,” Angucia added.
The spokesperson said the matter has now been forwarded to the state prosecutor for “guidance and possible appearance in court.”
The two women have reportedly been held without legal representation since February 18.
Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act prescribes penalties of up to life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relations. In cases categorized as “aggravated homosexuality,” the law provides for the death penalty.
The legislation has drawn sustained criticism from rights groups at home and abroad, who argue that it criminalises identity and encourages abuse.
Prominent Ugandan human rights advocate Frank Mugisha condemned the latest arrests, warning that enforcement of the law is creating a climate of fear.
“This underscores the grim reality we are facing on the ground under the Anti-Homosexuality Act. We have seen a surge in a targeted crackdown that goes beyond just arrests; it has fueled a dangerous cycle of blackmail and extortion. Even criminals are now using this law as a weapon to prey on the LGBTQ+ community, knowing their victims are too terrified to seek protection”, he wrote on X.
The law has faced strong condemnation from the international community.
The World Bank previously suspended funding to Uganda in protest, though financial support resumed in mid-2025.
