Uganda, March 12 -- The Court of Appeal has upheld the decision of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to refuse to reserve and register Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) under the company laws.

In the majority decision, a three-member panel of judges ruled that the registrar rightly declined to reserve the name SMUG because the said company was being formed to advocate for the rights and well-being of lesbians and gay persons who engage in activities labelled criminal under Section 145 of the Penal Code Act.

Justice Catherine Bamugemereire reasoned that URSB acted within the law to disallow the name SMUG as proposed because it is not in doubt that the SMUG is associated with the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBT w...