Uganda has since become the land of bills; specifically those that oppress already marginalized groups. While we were still dealing with the Anti-Homosexuality Act’s reintroduction to parliament, another crafty legislator introduced another bill. Hon. Sarah Opendi, the Tororo district woman MP is allegedly behind a new bill dubbed the, “ Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill.”

The whole gist of this bill is to regulate the use of assisted technology by married couples; to provide for registered practitioners, to designate the medical and dental practitioners council as the body responsible for the administration of this act, to provide for designation and approval of fertility centers, to provide for the approval of assisted reproductive technology banks, to provide for surrogacy, to provide for access to information on assisted reproductive technology services and for related matters. As we read through these provisions one would ask themselves why anyone would have a problem with a bill that is seemingly aimed at ensuring top notch service provision! Well, this is not our first dance with Ugandan seemingly good laws; therefore we know there is a catch! You will need to provide a proof of marriage people; this service can only be offered to married couples as per this proposed bill. The other absurd thing about this bill is that surrogacy services will only be reserved for women who struggle with infertility; so no, you cannot just decide to pay for this convivence.

This bill undermines all the a million different types of families and settles it down to family that can be proven with a marriage certificate. As we join the rest of Ugandans in the confusion of the priorities of our legislators and their obsession with policing people’s bodies; Kuchu Times Media Group will be resuming her SRHR campaign. The purpose of this campaign will be to shed light on the diversities of sexual reproductive health and rights needs especially within womn and gender non conforming persons from minority groups. We shall be running this campaign every Monday and you can engage with it using these hashtags; #SRHR4ALL, #SRHR4LBQT