Kenya’s decision to support the renewal of an LGBTQ+ rights expert’s mandate at the United Nations Human Rights Council has sparked strong reactions at home, especially from allies of President William Ruto.
The vote, which took place on Monday, has stirred controversy, with some politicians accusing the government of turning its back on Kenyan cultural and religious values.
Leading the criticism is Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, a known supporter of the Kenya Kwanza government and a long-time opponent of LGBTQ+ rights. Kaluma did not hold back in voicing his anger and disapproval of Kenya’s vote at the UN, calling it a betrayal of the nation’s values.
In a fiery statement posted on social media, Kaluma accused Western countries of trying to force LGBTQ+ ideologies onto African nations.
He referred to the move as a cultural invasion and warned that such foreign influences were harmful to African traditions, social structures, and moral beliefs.
“Homosexuality and LGBTQ+ practices are being imposed on developing nations by the West, and this is tearing apart our social fabric,” Kaluma said. “We cannot and will not support it in any form. It goes against our culture, it endangers public health, it contradicts our religious beliefs, and we completely reject it.”
He went further to claim that even countries in the West that once pushed for LGBTQ+ rights are now reversing course. Kaluma pointed to recent laws in parts of the United States and Europe that have placed new restrictions on LGBTQ+ advocacy.
According to him, this shows that even former supporters of these rights now recognize the dangers they pose.
Kaluma called on the Kenyan government to immediately reconsider its stance and reaffirm the nation’s commitment to its cultural and moral foundations. “Our culture and beliefs are not for sale. They are deeply rooted and cannot be exchanged for anything—not aid, not pressure, not global influence,” he insisted.
He also warned that the Kenyan Parliament will stand firm in defending these values. Kaluma promised that he and other lawmakers would reject any future international treaties or agreements that seem to support or legalize homosexuality in Kenya. “As long as I am in Parliament, we will not ratify any deal that promotes homosexuality in this country,” he declared.
Kenya was among 29 nations that voted in favor of renewing the mandate of Graeme Reid, a South African human rights expert who works to expose human rights violations against LGBTQ+ individuals and advises governments on how to protect these communities.
Fifteen countries voted against the mandate, while three abstained.
Other countries that supported the resolution included Chile, Germany, and South Africa. However, several African nations and Qatar strongly opposed it.
The United States, which had previously stepped away from the UN Human Rights Council during Donald Trump’s presidency, was once a supporter of the LGBTQ+ rights mandate during the Biden administration.
Since Trump returned to office in January, he has introduced several executive orders aimed at reducing protections for transgender people and dismantling diversity and inclusion programs across government and private institutions.
Back in March, a study suggested that Kenya could lose as much as Ksh1 trillion in international funding if Kaluma’s proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which seeks to further criminalize homosexuality, is passed into law.
Despite this economic warning, Kaluma remains steadfast, arguing that Kenya’s identity and values are far more important than financial aid or global approval.
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