This comes just days after lawmakers in Uganda passed a bill prescribing jail terms of up to 10 years for offenses related to same-sex relations, responding to popular sentiment but piling more pressure on the East African country's LGBTQ community.
The bill was passed late Tuesday inside a packed parliamentary chamber, and after a roll call ordered by the House speaker, who had repeatedly warned it was necessary to identify those who might oppose the bill. It was supported by nearly all of the 389 legislators present.
"Congratulations," said Speaker Anita Among. "Whatever we are doing, we are doing it for the people of Uganda."
An earlier version of the bill enacted in 2014 later was nullified by a court on procedural grounds. Human Rights Watch has described the legislation as "a more egregious version" of the 2014 law, which drew widespread international concern and was struck down amid pressure from Uganda's development partners.
Earlier this month in Kenya, President William Ruto weighed in on the LGBTQ debate, assuring the nation that he will not allow it.
Ruto said he respects the rule of law but Kenya has its own culture and traditions.
"I am God fearing and although we respect the ruling made by the Supreme Court, we have our culture and traditions.
"Our religious affiliations (Islam or Christianity) cannot allow a woman to get married to a fellow woman or a man to a fellow man. We cannot do down that route," he said.
Ruto further called on religious leaders to rise up and guide their flock, lest we lose our moral fabric.
"It can happen elsewhere but not in Kenya. We know there are people pushing the LGBTQ agenda and our children are being bombarded with this talk.
"I will not allow women to compete with other women...I will not allow men to look for fellow men to marry. Where will you find men if they do that? I will not agree," he said.
[Additional reporting by AP]