Western anger at anti-gay law hits Uganda’s currency

By Philippa Croome and Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda's currency tumbled on Wednesday on concerns that a new anti-gay law will damage relations with Western countries alarmed at what they see as a government-backed violation of human rights. President Yoweri Museveni's approval of the law on Monday, imposing jail sentences of up to life for gay sex, reflects a gulf in social attitudes between conservative Africa and the West, with Washington saying the law complicated its "valued relationship" with Uganda and several European countries withholding aid. The shilling fell 2 percent on Wednesday before Uganda's central bank intervened to stop the slide, after Denmark and Norway said they would hold back on aid and others threatened to follow. The currency movement appeared to confirm the prediction by Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg who said on Tuesday the law was a "financial risk" for Uganda.