Nearly 50 lobbying groups are urging America’s President Joe Biden’s administration to halt engagement talks with Kenya until President William Ruto rejects an anti-gay bill introduced by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma.
Kaluma’s “Family Protection Bill” submitted to Parliament seeks to criminalise homosexuality, same-sex marriages, and LGBTQ practises.
Lobby groups now want the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) talks to be halted until the Head of State acts.
“In partnership with LGBTQI+ groups in Kenya, we reiterate our request that you pause STIP negotiations until President Ruto commits to vetoing this bill,” the lobby groups told the Biden administration in a letter addressed to US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai.
“Pausing the trade talks aligns with the Biden Administration’s position of defending LGBTQI+ rights globally. This move would advance a worker-centered, inclusive trade policy. Moreover, stopping trade talks would send a message to countries around the world that the United States.”
The lobby wants Tai to ask Ruto and Trade CS Moses Kuria to commit to opposing any bill or policy that would impose new anti-LGBTQ+ criminal penalties on Kenyans.
They have launched a petition drive to collect 10,000 signatures in order to halt the trade talks.
If Kaluma’s bill is passed, homosexual convicts’ rights to assembly, demonstration, association, expression, belief, privacy, and employment in childcare institutions will be restricted.
Furthermore, the bill forbids homosexual adoption and sex acts on animals. Kaluma has also stated that homosexuality should be punished because it is illegal in Kenya.
Similarly, Kaluma’s bill seeks to outlaw sexual health, as well as sexual health rights and education.
If passed, the bill will protect parents’ and guardians’ prior rights to their children’s education.
It will reaffirm parents’ rights to be informed about, and consent to, sexuality education and abortion procedures involving their children.
“It seeks to ban comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in Pre-primary, primary and secondary schools education programs,” he said as quoted by the Star.
