Puzzles in Uganda

The anti-homosexuality bill in Uganda had hung around for three years before being passed suddenly last month. Uganda's president has withheld his assent and sent the bill back to Parliament. It isn't that he disagrees with the bill. It's that he objects to the way Parliament passed it -- there apparently wasn't a quorum present.

But there are a lot of puzzles. The president's letter to Parliament is dated Dec. 28 and made public only yesterday. Is it a formal rejection? Or a refusal to recognize a bill that not lawfully enacted? Was the action to remove the death penalty from the bill also not lawful? Is the death penalty back in the bill?

Or perhaps the president was thinking out loud while working through the issue (the text of the letter has now been posted) and isn't a formal refusal or formal complaint about Parliament's lack of quorum. But he better do something official quickly. If he does nothing in 30 days (which might be next week) the bill becomes law without his assent.