NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1- Religious leaders drawn from Muslim and Christian faiths now want President William Ruto to “walk the talk on his pledge against LGBTQ activities in the country.”
The senior members of the clergy from the Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical churches, along with leaders from various Muslim organizations, expressed concern over what they termed sustained attempts to legitimize LGBTQ, which they argue pose a threat to future generations.
They argued that the failure by the government to act on the matter was ‘unfortunate’ noting that the laws of Kenya “expressly criminalise acts of homosexuality and other unnatural acts.”
“We are concerned that the government is looking the other way as groups and organisations with sinister agenda continue to promote LGBTQ activities among Kenyans and especially within our young people,” the clerics under the Kenya Christians Professional Forum and Muslim Council for Imams and Preachers of
Kenya stated.
Drawing parallels from leaders of neighboring countries, the clerics urged President Ruto to follow the examples set by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu whom they say “have shown the way in their unequivocal stand against these evils.”
Museveni, in May last year, signed into law what was described as one of the harshest measures criminalizing LGBTQ, a move that sparked condemnation from the western nations, some of whom have since sanctioned the East African Community nation.
The clerics stressed the need for Ruto to follow suit for the sake of what they termed the country’s traditional ideals and values.
“President William Ruto needs to follow the same path and take the lead in ensuring that our cultural and religious traditions are maintained irrespective of coercion and pressure from Western states,” they said.
They were speaking after they signed a petition to inquire into the proliferation of LGBTQ in Kenya, raising concerns over what they termed sustained attempts to legalize it.
The religious community have argued that the ongoing efforts pose a threat to the future of the country and urged parliament to enact legislation that “strongly protects our cherished family values.”
Expressing concern over what they view as attempts to impose an immoral agenda under the guise of protecting human rights, the clerics highlighted the subtle growth of activities by groups promoting the LGBTQ agenda.
They claimed that some lobby groups, backed by foreign agencies, have filed court cases aimed at changing the country’s penal laws to decriminalize homosexuality.
The religious leaders also voiced their support for the proposed Family Protection Bill sponsored by Homa Bay Town lawmaker, Peter Kaluma.
While still in its early stages in parliament, the bill seeks to criminalize homosexuality in all its forms and explicitly defines “sex” as “the state of being male or female.”
