(Transcript from World News Radio)
The United Nations has condemned a controversial law introduced in Uganda that could see gay people jailed for life.
The law strengthens existing punishments for anyone caught having homosexual sex, and also bans same-sex marriage.
Santilla Chingaipe has the details.
The new law, which comes into effect immediately, imposes jail terms of up to life for so-called 'aggravated homosexuality' - including sex with a minor or while HIV positive.
It also criminalises lesbianism for the first time, and makes it a crime to help individuals engage in homosexual acts.
President Yoweri Museveni explained why he agreed to sign the legislation - and why he considers it no-one's business other than Uganda's.
"For someone to be homosexual it's a combination of some genetic, but mainly external factors, like influence and so on and so forth, so that one has been answered. Secondly, we do not want anyone interfering with our internal affairs, finished. Those are the two principles. The rest is just details we can always study that."
President Museveni says he delayed signing off the bill to give scientists a chance to prove that homosexuality could be triggered by genes and was not what he called a lifestyle choice.
But he says they found no evidence that proves that a person can be homosexual by nature.
"My original argument was - my original sympathy was - that these people are born like that. But, we are being told that: 'No, no, no!' Even the people I was talking to in the West, in the end they told me that there is no scientific basis for homosexuality and that it is all a matter of choice. Really! So, when I was fighting I was fighting a wrong war, because for me I thought they must be born like that, how can you leave something good and you go for something so bad. It must be that you're having a problem."
The United Nations has been quick to denounce the Ugandan law.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says the move would institutionalise discrimination against lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky says Ms Pillay believes that it could also encourage harassment and violence against them.
"Ms Pillay said that disapproval of homosexuality by some can never justify violating the fundamental human rights of others. She added that the law is formulated so broadly that it may lead to abuse of power and accusations against anyone, not just LGBT people. She also expressed deep concern that the law could threaten the critically important work of human rights defenders in the country. She urged the Government to take immediate steps to ensure that they are not prosecuted for their advocacy."
The United States is one of Uganda's largest aid donors, amounting to more than 400 million US dollars a year.
White House spokesman, Jay Carney, says the US will review its relationship with Uganda following the enactment of the bill.
"We will continue to urge the government of Uganda to repeal this abhorrent law and to advocate for the protection of the universal human rights of LGBT persons in Uganda and around the world. What I can tell you about steps the United States might take in response is that we are undertaking a review of its -- of our relationship with Uganda in light of this decision."
The bill passed through the Ugandan parliament in December after its authors agreed to drop a death penalty clause.
Homosexuality is illegal in 37 of the 55 African countries.
