Supreme Court Ruling on LGBTQ Associations Raises Concerns

The Supreme Court of Kenya’s ruling on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) associations has been met with mixed reactions.

The ruling, which dismissed a petition filed by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma seeking to overturn a lower court ruling that allowed the registration of LGBTQ associations, has been welcomed by some LGBTQ rights groups as a victory for equality and non-discrimination.

However, the ruling has also been condemned by a section of religious groups and leaders, who argue that it is against the country’s culture and values.

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) has called the ruling “unfortunate” and said it will be announcing its next steps in the coming weeks.

The CEO of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), Dr Ezekiel Mutua, has also condemned the ruling, saying that homosexuality is not part of Kenyan culture.

“Our Constitution outlaws homosexuality, and in Section 11 recognises culture as ‘the cumulative civilisation of the Kenyan people.’ Homosexuality is not our culture,” Dr Mutua said.

Nyali MP Mohamed Ali has also spoken out against the ruling, saying that it threatens family structures.

“I strongly condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling and will stand by the people of Kenya to protect our values, traditions, religions and Laws that foreign players will not dictate,” Mohamed Ali said in a post on social media.

The ruling is a significant development in the fight for LGBTQ rights in Kenya. It remains to be seen how the government and society will respond to the ruling.

In the meantime, the LGBTQ community is celebrating the victory and hoping that it will pave the way for further progress in the fight for equality.