Ruto, Gachagua Position on LGBTQ+ Commendable

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• Take it from me, homosexuality and lesbian relationships cannot be tolerated and will never be practiced in this country under my watch, the President vowed amid cheers and ululations from women present.
• More than 80 percent of our population is comprised of Christian. Besides, such practices sharply flew in the face of our tradition and beliefs.
• The President was privy to lingering question. Why would the apex court deliver this abnoxious and unpalatable verdict at a time when our country is being led by two God fearing leaders?
• I have not changed. As your President, I still put God first in discharge of the constitutional mandate that you bestowed on me.

The International Women Day was marked a few days ago.

Here in Kenya, President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua graced the colorful event that was held at Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC).

The ruling by the Supreme Court of Kenya (SCoK) on LGBTQ stood out as of the key topics that was troubling their mind.

Each used the strongest words possible to hit out at the Judges and condemn the ruling.

The SCoK has totally let us down by ruling in favor of the registration of an organization that seeks to promote the same sex marriages.

Take it from me, homosexuality and lesbian relationships cannot be tolerated and will never be practiced in this country under my watch, the President vowed amid cheers and ululations from women present.

More than 80 percent of our population is comprised of Christian. Besides, such practices sharply flew in the face of our tradition and beliefs.

The President was privy to lingering question. Why would the apex court deliver this obnoxious and unpalatable verdict at a time when our country is being led by two God fearing leaders?

I have not changed. As your President, I still put God first in discharge of the constitutional mandate that you bestowed on me.

I’m not holding brief for the President but I want to say this. He is not to blame.

We know the Judiciary is an independent arm of the government. He had no power to interfere or dictate them on how to do their job.

Since he took over as the fifth President, he has been walking the talk by respecting the decisions of the courts. In doing so, he fully recognizes the role of judiciary as the custodian of the rule of law and constitution.

For Gachagua, he termed the SCoK ruling as satanic.  They are telling us: a woman marry a woman, a man marry a man. This is the height of madness. The President cannot allow these practices. It will never happen in Kenya.

For starters, the LGBTQ+ case was heard and determined by a five judge bench.

There was a split. The three ruled in favor of the registration of their organization by the NGO Council and the two disagreed and wrote their minority opinions.

As a born Christian, I fully concur with the position taken by the President and his Deputy.

But for now, the Supreme Court has pronounced itself on the matter. The LGBTQ groups have a right to register their organization and start to promote their practices.

In light of this, I would expect the two leaders to go a step further and provide leadership that would see the verdict being overturned.

Parliament is only recourse that can help us to get out of this.

To me, the SCoK is enjoying absolute power. So, a time has come to trim these powers by amending the provisions of the new constitution that created this court in 2010.

As a law making body, this power is vested in parliament.

One would also expect parliament to enact punitive laws outlawing homosexuality, lesbian and other immoral and unnatural activities.

At this juncture, allow me to say this.

The speculation is rife that LGBTQ groups are enjoying the backing of the government of United States of America.

You cannot sweep this under the carpet because the  the push for the same sex marriage is one key agenda of President Joe Biden’s ruling Democratic party.

Well, Kenya is a developing country and we rely on support from US and other powerful nations of Europe.

President Ruto and his Deputy have, however, stood firm.

We cannot stoop too low to a point of allowing them to impose immoral and satanic practices on us.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta held the same position.

When then US President Barrack Obama announced that he would promote LGBTQ during his maiden tour of Africa, Uhuru politely advised him not to dare talk about this subject when he step on Kenyan soil.

Our tradition and beliefs are firmly rooted in marriages of opposite sex-a man and woman. So, Kenyans cannot entertain that talk. President Obama heeded the call.

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi