President William Samoei Ruto has for the first time commented on last week Friday ruling made by the Supreme Court of Kenya approving the registration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
The Supreme Court indicated that the decision to deny LGBTQ members their right to register Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) was discriminatory and the group should not be discriminated.
This comes nine years later after the lower courts denied the members of the LGBTQ community in Kenya to register as an NGO for the establishment of their rights.
Addressing from Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) Nairobi, during the re-launching of the Women Enterprise Fund on Thursday, Ruto indicated that he respects the Supreme court’s decision but he insisted that Kenya’s virtues and religion denies homosexual relationships.
He added that he is a God-fearing man and whatever happened at the court regardless of his respect to the court, Kenya’s values, culture and religion does not support homosexuality.
In 2022 before Ruto became the president of Kenya, he stated that his Christian background teaches against homosexuality but if he was to be elected the president, the Constitution, and the law would be the guiding principle.
“As a public leader and a servant, the constitution and the law in Kenya becomes the guiding principle. Whatever is within the constitution and the law I will respect. So long as everybody is operating within the law and within what’s permissible in the constitution they have nothing to fear because we are a nation governed by the rule of law,” he indicated.
Ruto was speaking during a candid interview which was moderated by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, at the Center for Strategic International Studies, where he reiterated that no one should discriminate the other Kenyan because of their deeds.
“My position as a Christian is that Bible teaches us against homosexuality and related matters, that is me as William Ruto,” Ruto once stated.
Asked on whether the members of the LGBTQ community will be secured if he was elected the fifth president of Kenya, Ruto maintained that everyone must be subjected to the constitution and only permissible institutions should take action on those who break the law.
“I do not think anybody should pick up arms against any Kenyan irrespective of whether you like what they are doing or not. Every Kenyan must be subjected to the rule of law and if you think any Kenyan is not acting in the right way, it is not for you to decide to harm them, it is for the law to take its course,” Ruto stated.
He added that no Kenyan should be subjected to any kind of harassment, discrimination or harm.
This appeared to be a change from his stand in 2015 where he warned anyone pushing for LGBTQ rights adding that they did not have a place in the Kenyan society.
Ruto also criticized the United States (US) Supreme Court ruling that granted rights to American states to engage in homosexual marriages adding that the same will not be reciprocated in Kenya.
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