Wetangula Opposes Supreme Court Decision Relating to LGBTQ Rights Organizations

Kenya is a very religious country, according to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, and institutions are required to safeguard and uphold public morals.

On his official Twitter page, Wetang'ula warned that the homophobic sentiments expressed by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma may have unintended consequences. "Each person has a responsibility to uphold, defend, and protect public morals, as does every public institution, including the judiciary. The SC's statement could have unintended and detrimental effects "said he.

On February 24, Kaluma wrote to Wetang'ula to inform him of his intentions to introduce a bill that would sentence homosexuals and those caught engaging in unnatural sexual activity to life in prison.

"I plan to introduce legislation to criminalize and punish homosexual acts and other unethical sex behaviors, as well as to further criminalize the promotion of such atrocities in Kenya," read the statement.

It will "consolidate existing laws relating to unnatural sexual acts and also increase the penalty to life imprisonment for those found guilty of engaging in or promoting the acts."

In order to save society, the MP also wants all activities that support homosexuality to be effectively banned and made illegal in the nation.

According to Kaluma, he plans to introduce a bill to the National Assembly that would toughen up the punishment for offenders.

Kaluma tweeted, "We must stop bestiality, homosexuality, and those other unnatural acts before the vices destroy our society.

He claimed that his proposed legislation would strengthen the protections for families in Article 45(2) of the Constitution.

He emphasized that the law will not only codify the current legislation governing unnatural sexual behavior, but also toughen the punishment.

The High Court upheld laws that make homosexual acts between consenting adults illegal on May 24, 2019.

Three Kenyan organizations that support the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people petitioned the court in 2016, and the court was considering their request.

The groups claimed that criminalizing same-sex behavior in violation of articles 162 and 165 of the penal code violates Kenya's constitution's guarantees of equality, nondiscrimination, human dignity, security, privacy, and health.

anti-homosexuality laws were first enacted by British colonists in 1897

Carnal knowledge against the natural order is punishable by up to 14 years in prison under Article 162, while "indecent practices between males" are punishable by up to five years in prison under Article 165.