Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni accused the World Bank of making using money to try to “coerce” the government over its controversial anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Museveni’s comments followed an announcement by the Bretton Woods institution on Tuesday that it was suspending new loans to the East African country, according to RFI.

The Ugandan leader said this as the World Bank said it was considered among the world’s harshest laws targeting LGBTQ communities.

The US-based global lender stated that Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act “fundamentally contradicts” the institution’s values.

It added that no new public financing would be presented to its board of directors for approval for the time being.

But Museveni, who signed the measures into law in May, posted on X, the former Twitter, that “Ugandans will develop with or without loans”.

“It is therefore unfortunate that the World Bank and other actors dare to want to coerce us into abandoning our faith, culture, principles and sovereignty, using money,” Museveni said.

“We do not need pressure from anybody to know how to solve problems in our society.”

Museveni nevertheless said Uganda was continuing discussions with the World Bank “so that they and we avoid this diversion if possible”.

The United Nations, foreign governments including the United States, and global rights groups have condemned the new law, which contains provisions making “aggravated homosexuality” a capital offence and imposes penalties for consensual same-sex relations of up to life in prison.