I'll do business with the Russians instead, Museveni tells Obama

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) speaks with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (left) during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on December 11, 2012. Mr Museveni says he will strengthen ties with Russia following cooling ties with the US. 

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has said he will work with Russians because they do not meddle in the internal affairs of other countries, in a pointed statement to Barack Obama.

The comment follows the US President’s statement that the relationship between his country and Uganda would be "complicated" if Mr Museveni signed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law. (Read: Obama warns Museveni of strained ties)

However, while commissioning a new flight simulator at the Air Force headquarters in Entebbe on Friday, Mr Museveni told President Obama to stop interfering in the affairs of Uganda, adding he would work with Russia instead of America.

"Russia has worked in Africa since 1917, meaning they have been here for more than 100 years. I want to work with Russia because they don’t mix up their politics with other country’s politics," Mr Museveni said.

He added: "If you see a person going to another person’s home then you know there is a problem.

"This is my home. You cannot find a man with a bald head like mine in his home and tell him what you want. Go back to your home.

"In Ankole (a traditional Ugandan kingdom), if you find such a thing happening, one will enter his house and pick his stick."

Mr Obama’s warning came a day after President Museveni announced at a recent ruling party caucus that he would assent to the Bill after a presentation by Ugandan scientists concluded that homosexuality is not a genetic abnormality, but an adopted sexual behaviour. (Read: Why I am signing this anti-gay law)

An earlier statement from the White House in Washington quoted Mr Obama as saying: “The Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, once law, will be more than an affront and a danger to the gay community in Uganda."

Western ally

Uganda has a been a staunch western ally for decades.

However, on Friday in a statement, Mr Museveni said: “I would like to discourage the USA government from taking the line that passing this law will 'complicate our valued relationship' with the USA as President Obama said.

He added: “Countries and societies should relate with each other on the basis of mutual respect and independence in decision making. Valued relationship cannot be sustainably maintained by one society being subservient to another society.”

Mr Museveni thanked Ms Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of former USA President Robert Kennedy and a human rights activist, who sent him opinions by scientists from the USA, saying there are some indications that homosexuality could be congenital.

According to the presidency Mr Museveni could sign the bill into law as early as Monday.