Former CJ Mutunga wants Govt to Protect and respect gay community.
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga says the State has a responsibility to protect and respect gay community rights in the country.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM on Friday, November Mutunga said Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) groups are faced with unique vulnerabilities including violations of their human rights calling for their inclusion in society.
“If your daughter or son comes and tells you they are gay, will you throw them out of the house? Are you going to deny them school fees? Will you be happy if they are brutalized by other people who think this shouldn’t happen or landlords who will tell them they can’t live here? It now becomes a question of humanity,” Mutunga posed.
His statement came after President William Ruto stated in an interview with CNN that gay rights are not a priority for Kenyans.
“I am very clear that we respect everybody and what they believe in, but we also have what we believe in and we expect to be respected for what we believe in,” Ruto told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an interview on September 7, 2022.
He added, “We do not want to create a mountain out of a molehill, when it becomes a big issue for the people of Kenya, the people of Kenya will make a choice.”
In 2020, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the High Court which had allowed gays and lesbians to form a non-governmental organization to champion their rights.
Dr Mutunga, a human rights activist, acknowledged that while judges turned to the Bible for interpretation, it was prudent for them to also seek the voice of religious organizations.
