The Kenya classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua is angry that people blew his post about Richard Quest attending to JCC to make him look like he hates gay people.
In two Facebook posts, the boss vehemently defended his earlier post hoping to show that he treats gays like normal people.
Rafiki?
This is the same Mutua that was also on the post for fighting lesbian movie Rafiki and ensuring it’s banned in Kenya.
Here’s the long post:
How can anyone twist my post on Richard Quest going to JCC church to say that I support gayism? How does anyone reach that conclusion from a straightforward post like this? I have stood firm against homosexual content even when it wasn’t convenient to do so. I have taken on organisations and people no one else would have dared to touch. When Nickelodeon attempted to introduce gay cartoons on one of the pay to view channels, I resisted the move and reversed it completely. No gay content on our screens and it won’t happen under my watch. But that doesn’t mean that I hate gay people. Far from it. I hate the sin, not the sinner. These self-righteous zealots throwing stones on me or the Kiunas should shape up.
“Richard Quest was in Kenya as a journalist and he did very positive stories about the country than probably any other foreign journalist. His visit to the JCC and interview with Kathy was within his journalistic work. About being allowed to speak on the pulpit or the ” holy madhabahu” as the hypocritical netizen terrorists call it, that’s the prerogative of the Kiunas. And I support it. You can bar him from your church but don’t dictate to others how they should exercise discretion, grace or judgment. I have never been to Kiunas church and we have no interactions. But I love them to bits. Anyone who can rise from the grass to where they are and conquer the odds of life to be who the Kiunas are is to be celebrated. If you think they fleece people, then don’t go to their church. But let me tell off the hypocrites who attacked the Sunday happenings at JCC: Your self righteousness is filthy rags before God. I don’t need blind followers who are ignorant and malicious. We can’t change the world by being so petty and narrow minded as to think Quest defiled the church by being allowed to speak. And on a more serious note, we must fight gayism from spreading in Kenya, but we should not hate gay people or attack them. I stated on this wall in 2016 that if a gay person applied for a job at KFCB and passed the interview on merit, they would get the job and be treated with dignity. There’s a whole lot of difference between regulating gay content and hating people. If anyone followed me here because you thought I hate gay people, please unfollow me or block yourself. I do not hate gay people neither should you. What would you do if your child became gay? Or it’s only children of sinners who are prone to such? We must be objective and deal with issues without using social media for hatred or blind populism based on religious hypocrisy!” he wrote.
Adding:
“On the gay debate again, and this is my last post on the subject, I reiterate that I hate the act, not the person. I have mentored a gay young boy for two years. I have kept his identity a secret and even when I feel I need more information and guidance on how to help him or deal with his issues, I have never disclosed his identity. Even my wife doesn’t know the name of the boy. I will let him speak about the issue himself at his convenience. Three months ago a friend called and told me of a gay person who was being evicted from his house for failing to pay rent. I bailed them out through my friend and I have been following on their progress. I have gay friends and friends of gay friends. Gay people are human. I will never agree on their behaviour nor support homosexuality. But I will never hate on gay people or join the mob lynch. Our work at KFCB is regulation of content. That we shall do in line with the law. At a personal level, my Christian faith abhors homosexuality. But so does murder, lies, jealousy, hatred and such other sins considered “dhambi ndogo.” I don’t hate gay people and what they do in private is none of my business. If I found a gay person in trouble or they asked for my help, I would help them, just the same way I would help straight people. I treat and will always treat gay people as human beings deserving of respect and human dignity.
That’s different from allowing gay content on our screens or allowing homosexuality to define our culture or be propagated as our way of life. I know there’s a spiritual dimension to this debate on homosexuality. That I deal with spiritually, but not by hating people who deserve love and respect. I always ask myself the question “What would Jesus do if He was in my shoes? My actions are guided by love. Even on the issue of Rafiki, I followed through with love. I had conversations with Wanuri Kahiu and other cast. Before banning Rafiki, I called Wanuri to our offices. I treated her like a VIP and served her tea.
We had a great meeting in our Boardroom and we made the law clear to her. And even after she betrayed us by going against our agreement to delete portions of her movie that glorify homosexuality, I have treated her with respect. The other day we bumped into each other in Zurich as we were connecting flights. We had a friendly chat and treated each other with respect. She’s in court over the ban. If she wins, we shall respect the law. This debate is that simple. Nothing personal!”
