Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s deputy president, has restated the East African country’s long-standing resolve not to “condone” same-sex relationships.
He emphasized that Kenya will fight any attempt to impose the same on its people, emphasizing the need to preserve its customs and traditions.
“We shall not condone any attempts to legitimize LGBTQ actions in Kenya. Our values must be respected, and in no way shall we turn back,” he tweeted.
Gachagua made the remarks on Thursday while attending a ceremony commemorating International Women’s Day in Nairobi, Kenya.
The deputy president’s remarks came only a month after President William Ruto indicated that the country’s laws will govern same-sex relationships.
He told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday, September 7, that homosexuality and its related difficulties were not a “serious issue” for ordinary Kenyans when compared to unemployment and hunger.
“We have Kenyan law, we have the Kenyan Constitution, we have our tradition, we have our customs, we will continue to respect other people’s custom as they respect our custom and our traditions,” he said.
Homosexuality is largely outlawed in most regions of the continent, and those who engage in it face prison sentences. Kenya has a vibrant LGBTQ+ population that has frequently demonstrated to draw attention to their predicament.
Recent occurrences in Kenya demonstrate the country’s same-sex lobbying effort. The heinous murder of a well-known homosexual fashionista, Edwin Chiloba, and a Supreme Court finding that LGBTQ organizations can be legally incorporated under Kenyan law.
