US Ambassador to Kenya Margaret Whitman on Monday 13th March in a tweet said that she had been in engagement with the LGBTQ community members in Kenya. This comes within days after she stated that the US will respect each country’s decision and stand regarding same-sex marriages. The 3rd March comments had been prompted by a presidential remark previously on the matter.
Over the past week my team and I met with the LGBTQI+ community & stakeholders to support human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. The U.S. pudly advances efforts to protect LGBTQI+ persons from discrimination & violence and will continue to stand up for human rights & equality.
— U.S. Ambassador Meg Whitman (@USAmbKenya) March 14, 2023President William Ruto openly said that the country is not ready to welcome the western culture of same-sex marriages. According to the President, allowing LGBTQ into Kenyan traditions and culture will erode their dignity.
According to the ambassador, as read by the tweet, the meeting, which had been happening over the last week sought to indicate the US stand on respecting human rights.
Meg Whitman has reiterated time and again how the US proudly advances efforts to protect LGBTQ persons. From discrimination, and violence, adding that they will continue to stand up for human rights and equality.
Previously on LGBTQ Community matters
For context, First lady Jill Biden on 25th February, during her visit to Kenya, donated Ksh. 16 billion in aid that the U.S. had given to Kenya for food and drought relief.
Her visit had come days after the supreme court judgment allowing the LGBTQ lobby group’s formal registration by the NGO Board.
Something that Whitman on March 3 told off speculations that the Ksh.16 billion was a ‘reward’ for the policy approval. That it is not in any way connected to the country’s LGBTQ and intersex rights policies.
This comes at a time that homophobic rhetoric has been rising in Kenya. Thanks to the supreme court ruling, the LGBTQ debate within the country was revived again. The court had cited unconstitutional to limit the right to associate, through denial of registration of an association, purely based on the sexual orientation of the applicants.
To note, however, is that the court stressed that gay relations/sex remains illegal as per the law. A rather bitter-sweet outcome for the gay community in Kenya.