President Yoweri Museveni derided the US over its withdrawal of Uganda’s preferential trade access and said the East African nation can achieve its development targets without American support.

President Joe Biden last week terminated Uganda’s preferential trade status over its draconian anti-LGBTQ laws, the latest in a series of punitive measures over the legislation.

President Yoweri Museveni

“Some of these actors in the western world overestimate themselves and underestimate the freedom fighters of Africa,” Museveni said in a post on X. “Certainly, as far as Uganda is concerned, we have the capacity to achieve our growth and transformation targets, even if some of the actors do not support us.” 

Museveni has faced intense criticism by western donors over his approval in May of anti-LGBTQ laws that include the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality.

The US is Uganda’s sixth-biggest trading partner, with total trade estimated at $431.7 million last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.