By Wanja Waweru
President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga are the newest political figures to denounce a Supreme Court decision allowing the registration of LGBTQI lobby groups.
They joined Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in criticizing the top court’s ruling on February 24 that rejected the government’s appeal to prevent the registration of a gay and lesbian lobby group, putting an end to an 11-year legal battle by activists seeking the official registration of an LGBTQ+ organization in Kenya.
Dr. Ruto stated that the LGBTQ community has no home in Kenya during the Hustler Fund’s second phase of launch on Thursday.
“I’m a man of God. Even though we respect the Supreme Court, our religions and cultures do not allow a woman to marry a fellow woman or a man a fellow man,” he said.
“We cannot go to the streets to demand that they be allowed to marry. This can happen elsewhere but it will not happen in Kenya,” the President added.
On his part, Mr Odinga said the Judiciary interprets but does not make Kenya’s laws.
“Article 45:2 states that every adult has a right to marry a person of the opposite sex based on the free consent of the parties,” he said. “It’s not the role of the judiciary to make laws. The Constitution recognises separation of powers.”
DP Gachagua, who was also speaking at the Hustler Fund event, said he was shocked by the ruling.