A section of Migori clergy have called on President William Ruto to rescind the supreme court directive allowing the registration of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Community (LGBTQ).
Speaking on Friday under the auspice of the Migori clergy Association, the religious leaders led by Bishop Esau Jobando of Caring Africa Outreach Church faulted the supreme court verdict to what they perceived as deliberate attempts to legitimize homosexuality through the Kenyan court system.
“These bizarre decisions by the Supreme Court not only undermine the very core of our nation but a scheme to alter the biblical teachings. Our foundation is built on the acknowledgement of God Almighty of all creation and family as the key pillar of the society.”
Bishop Esau Jobando
He reiterated the need for President Ruto to rescind the ruling made to grant LGBTQ members the freedom to associate noting that it breached t family traditions, and the the core fabrics of the African cultural practices.
“We are strongly coming ulterior to that judgment and we are also antagonizing on behalf of our God almighty. The LGBTQ is set in a way that antagonizes the will of God as written in the book of Romans 1:26 .”
Bishop Jobando
Bishop John Adawo of Jesus Christ and Partners Ministry Hallelujah Church called on the government not to “lured into Western mechanizations for monetary favors.”
Our government should not be cowed to fall into trap by the Western Countries, we have always embraced our morals as Africans and this move will instill moral decadence. What future will our posterity have if we go the LGBTQ way,” he posed.
The sentiment come days after a petition by Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament George Peter Opondo Kaluma to annul the registration of LGBTQ groups was quashed by the Supreme Court on September 12, paving way for their registration as an NGO.
Mr Kaluma had over vowed to soldier on with his quest to annul the rulling at the Apex Court claiming that the Kenyan judicial system was the weak link in the “battle against homosexuality in Kenya.”
“We have to return to the Supreme Court and petition the court to reverse its decision,” Kaluma said during a press briefing. “We must get the court to reaffirm the traditional definition of sex, which is male and female determined at birth.” He said last Wednesday.
This comes even as the World Bank announced its decision to suspend new loans to Uganda due to the country’s enactment of the anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (anti-LGBTQ) law.
The Washington, DC-based institution stated on August 8 that it will temporarily halt project financing while it reviews the measures it had implemented to safeguard the rights of sexual and gender minorities within its projects.
“Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values. We believe our vision to eradicate poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality. This law undermines those efforts. Inclusion and non-discrimination sit at the heart of our work around the world,” read part of the statement issued by the World Bank.
As part of its response, the World Bank will also enhance third-party monitoring and grievance redress mechanisms to facilitate necessary corrective actions.
President William Ruto had earlier asserted his stance regarding the LGBTQ community despite the Supreme Court allowing the community to form lobby groups.
“We respect the Supreme Court’s decision, but that doesn’t mean we have to agree with it. Our values, customs, and Christianity do not allow us to support same-sex marriages. We have laws that govern us here in Kenya. I want to tell you that it will not be possible…it can happen in other countries but not here,” President Ruto said after the court ruling in March.
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