Protest Against Lgbtq Rocks Kenya

In a concerning display of opposition to the LGBTQ community, hundreds of individuals gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, prompting criticism from rights organizations who deemed the rally "dangerous." The protest emerged in the wake of a Supreme Court decision from the previous month that permitted a gay rights advocacy group to register as a non-governmental organization. This ruling has sparked outrage among conservatives and has amplified anti-gay rhetoric in the country. Supported by religious organizations, the demonstrators congregated at the Supreme Court in Nairobi after Friday prayers at a nearby mosque. Their demands included the resignation of three judges involved in the case. Some participants brandished placards bearing messages such as "LGBTQ is not African," "LGBTQ Agenda must fail," and "A walk for upholding family values." Homosexuality remains heavily stigmatized in Kenya, where gay sex remains criminalized under colonial-era laws, carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. Although convictions under these laws are infrequent, LGBTQ activists argue that such legislation infringes on their privacy and dignity, fosters discrimination, and obstructs access to healthcare and justice. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), an independent rights group, condemned the "dangerous" protest, characterizing it as the culmination of a "hateful campaign" that originated in Mombasa last month. The KHRC expressed deep concern for the safety and rights of LGBTQ individuals, who have been increasingly exposed to harm through such street actions. Protest organizers announced plans to march to parliament in support of a draft bill that seeks to criminalize gay relationships, imposing severe penalties, including potential jail terms of up to 50 years. Proposed by an opposition legislator, the bill echoes elements of Uganda's draconian anti-gay legislation, passed earlier this year, which includes provisions that could make "aggravated homosexuality" a capital offense and impose life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relations. While some East African countries maintain laws criminalizing homosexuality, often fueled by conservative religious beliefs, the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius notably repealed a British colonial-era law against gay sex earlier this week—a landmark move in a region with a history of repression and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals.