Religious leaders in Kwale opposes Supreme Court ruling allowing LGBTQ community to form organisations

By FLORA AWINJA

Religious leaders in Kwale County have sharply opposed the Supreme Court ruling that gave a nod for the registration of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer persons (LGBTQ) as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).

The Evangelical Association of Kenya (EAK) Kwale chapter chairman Reverend Zakayo Musomba said the move to allow them associate freely will negatively affect the community.

“We will not know what they are talking in their meetings. If allowed to have associations, they might resolve to recruit our children into their groups” he said.

He requested the Court to reconsider it’s ruling and uphold the Kenyan moral standing.

Sheikh Aman Hamisi Mwachirumu who is the secretary of the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council (KEMNAC) said the Court has gone against all aspects of the Kenyan traditions, culture, constitution and the religion.

He said that the judges who determined the case did not consider other aspects but only focused on the right to association.

He cited examples in the religious books where some tried to practice homosexuality only to receive punishment from God.

Mwachirumu said the court should not act in vacuum.

“It can rethink the matter and have a judicial review of its judgement and this time round incorporate views from religious leaders” he said.

He termed the ruling as one that can sway the society to a bad direction especially the teenagers and youth who are copying a lot of things from the internet.

“Once they see it and start copying, they will have gone against the rules, teachings and morals taught in religion” he added.

On February 21st 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the government to bar registration of LGBTQ groups.

This ended an 11 year long legal tussle between the government and activists who were seeking official registration in Kenya by the non-governmental organizations’ coordination board.

In the majority decision by justices Philomena Mwilu (Deputy Chief Justice), Smokin Wanjala and Njoki Ndung’u, the court said it would be unconstitutional to limit the right to associate, through denial of registration of an association, purely on the basis of sexual orientation.

However, President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua have condemned the ruling.

Ruto said he cannot allow the country to head in direction where a man would marry a fellow man and a woman marry a fellow woman.

Gachagua termed the move as satanic.