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Proposed Family Protection Bill in Kenya “step in the right direction”: Catholic Activists

Credit: CitizenGo

The African branch of CitizenGo, a movement of Catholic activists advocating for the promotion of family values on the continent, CitizenGo Africa, is rallying support for the Family Protection Bill that a Kenyan Legislature is proposing, in view of banning homosexuality, same-sex marriages, and all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) activities. 

CitizenGo Africa officials are rallying for signatures to support the Bill, which also seeks to ban Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), and criminalize funding LGBTQ agenda, among other similar objectives. 

“The Family Protection Bill, proposed by Honourable Peter Kaluma, is a step in the right direction toward preserving the moral values and cultural identity of Kenya,” they say in the Thursday, April 13 online petition

The Catholic activists add that the law being proposed is "essential" in promoting the values and cultural identity of Kenyans.

They say that by prohibiting the promotion of LGBTQ activities and the lobbying for finances to foster such behaviors, the Bill prevents the spread of the LGBTQ agenda in Kenya and similar “destructive ideology”. 

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Stopping the LGBTQ agenda in the East African nation is important “because it protects the values that are cherished by Kenyans and prevent the influence of foreign cultures on the country's moral and social fabric,” members of CitizenGo Africa say. 

They add, “The Bill also suggests clamping down on the promoters and funders of LGBTQ activities, which is necessary to prevent the spread of this destructive ideology.”

CitizenGo Africa members say the Bill also protects the understanding of gender, which is of importance to the family structure. 

“The Bill recognizes that sex is a physical state of being male or female, which is observed and assigned at birth, and not an identity that one is free to choose and assign themselves. This is a vital aspect of the Bill as it protects the traditional understanding of gender, which is crucial to the family structure in Kenya,” they say.

They further laud the proposal to prohibit the controversial CSE in schools, saying the proposed ban "is an important aspect of the Bill because it protects children from being exposed to inappropriate content that is not consistent with Kenyan culture and values".

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CSE teaches homosexuality, LGBTQ issues, abortion, and masturbation to children, the Catholic activists say, adding that the proposed law "also recognizes the importance of protecting children from inappropriate content and ensuring that parents retain control over their children's education."

"The Bill is a positive move towards protecting the family structure in Kenya, and it is vital that it is passed into law," CitizenGo Africa members say.

Hon. Kaluma's Bill has been presented to Parliament weeks after the Kenya’s Supreme Court majority ruling allowing the registration of LGBTQ Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). 

On February 24, Kenya’s apex court ruled that people with homosexual orientation have a right to form and register associations in the East African nation, three judges in the five-judge bench arguing that “despite gayism being illegal (in Kenya), they have a right of association” 

In the ruling that members of the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) described as “deeply” disturbing, Catholic Bishops in the country said “seeks to destroy life”, and a Catholic Bishop termed as against the “natural order of beings”, Justice Mohamed Ibrahim and William Ouko put in writing dissenting opinions against the majority decision delivered by Justices Philomena Mwilu, Smokin Wanjala, and Njoki Ndung’u.

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While in Kenya the Penal Code 1930 criminalizes same-sex activity described as “gross indecency” and “carnal knowledge against the order of nature”, and further stipulates a 14-year jail term for anyone found guilty of engaging in homosexuality, the Supreme Court ruling would mean that LGBTQ entities can operate at will after they are registered in Kenya.

Hon. Kaluma, the Legislator for Homa Bay Town in Kenya, a Catholic, has vowed to fight the registration of LGBTQ rights groups both on the floor of the August House and in the Kenyan courts.

Kenya’s Attorney General, Justin Muturi, has also vowed to challenge the Supreme Court ruling allowing the registration of LGBTQ NGOs, arguing that the matter is beyond the corridors of justice but one that requires public consultation. 

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.