President Museveni of Uganda has launched a fierce attack on homosexuals and says he has ordered the criminal investigations department to search them out and lock them up.

Correspondents say Mr Museveni, who has condemned homosexuality before, may have been prompted to comment by publicity surrounding a gay wedding in Uganda this month, and letters in the press calling for gay rights.

Speaking in Kampala, at a public meeting on reproductive health, Mr Museveni urged legislators to take account of traditional African culture when considering legislation on human rights.

He said there had been no African input to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and such UN conventions were not universal to Africa.