The United States is slapping Uganda and some officials because of the controversial and ugly law signed earlier this year by President Yoweri Museveni that makes criminalizes LGBT relations and makes certain acts punishable by life in prison.

The White House announced that a planned military exercise with Uganda is cancelled.  And America is canceling US$2.4 Million in funding for Ugandan Police after a raid on a US-funded health program at Makerere University.  Several people were reportedly abused while in police custody.

US$3 Million in funding for a planned national public health institute in Uganda is being reallocated elsewhere in Africa. A National Institutes of Health genomics meeting would be moved from Uganda to South Africa.  Certain Ugandan officials are now banned from travel to America.

If these penalties seem small, remember that Uganda is not a wealthy country, and international aid is its main source of income.  The US and other western nations had already halted or re-directed about $118 million in aid prior to Thursday’s announcement.