(LifeSiteNews) — Kenyan lawmakers and religious leaders have expressed outrage after the country’s Supreme Court ruled in a 3-2 decision late last month to allow homosexuals to establish pro-LGBT organizations. The move by the Court came despite the fact that homosexual actions and relationships remain illegal in the socially conservative Kenya.
The Supreme Court of Kenya ruled on February 24 that “despite gayism being illegal” in Kenya, people who identify as LGBT still “have a right of association,” ACI Africa reported.
The decision has sparked outrage among Kenyan lawmakers, religious leaders, and others, who contend that the move will work to normalize homosexuality within the country and allow for the establishment of pro-LGBT non-governmental organizations (NGO)s, thereby eroding Kenyan culture.
In comments to the press on Monday, Kenyan Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot pointed to the Kenyan Constitution, which he said makes clear that “as a people, we recognize the supremacy of God, the Creator of Heaven and earth.”
He also noted that in Article 45 of the country’s Constitution marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman.
“We believe in the family unit as the basis for a good society,” he said. “Our society is a multi-religious society. But at least, if there’s one thing that we agree [on], from Christians, to Muslims, to Hindu, is in the fact that we, to the best of our knowledge and understanding, we believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.”
“Anything else is strange and not an acceptable practice in our country,” he said.
Kenyan House Leader Kimani Ichung’wah also weighed in, opposing the Supreme Court’s ruling and asserting that “we shall not allow our cultures to be mutilated by cultures that are … alien to us.”
For Cheruiyot, the Supreme Court’s decision to grant LGBT people the right to assemble in spite of the fact that their activities are illegal under Kenyan law is “absurd.”
Kenya, whose religious demographics include Christians, Muslims, and Hindus, has maintained a more traditional understanding of marriage and traditional relationships than many other countries. Kenyans who are found guilty of engaging in homosexual behavior can be sentenced to 14 years behind bars under Kenya’s Penal Code 1930.
In comments to Citizen TV Kenya, Catholic Nyeri Archbishop Antony Muheria said caution must be exercised in delineating between welcoming and supporting people who have particular “inclinations” as opposed to advocating “evil” actions.
“They are brothers and sisters with certain inclinations. Some of them, and I would say most of them, without any bad on their part that has made them be that way,” he said.
“However, the actions of homosexuality are never deemed acceptable,” he continued. “They are evil. Therefore, if this association is so as to spread, popularize, and bring about more and more people into this kind of actions and behavior, then we call it out as evil, and must be addressed as s[uch].”
Muslims leaders have also spoken out vehemently against the ruling.
Meanwhile, the religious leaders and legislative leaders aren’t alone in expressing their opposition.
Citizen Kenya TV reported that other Kenyan MPs are urging citizens to reject the ruling, arguing the Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority to make such decisions.
Echoing Ichung’wah’s concerns, nominated MP Jackson Kosgey took a veiled shot at western cultures actively promoting the LGBT agenda around the world, arguing “we cannot be dictated on by a civilization on its lowest ebb in history.”
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One of the members of parliament, Farah Maalim, said the lawmakers would file a motion to censure the Supreme Court “for trying to legislate from the bench.”
For his part, MP Peter Kaluma promised to bring the issue back before the Supreme Court, noting that the decision was made by two judges against two who dissented while another two were not present.
“We’re going back to that Supreme Court with the religious organizations, the judges, and everybody, and we’re going to request that the Supreme Court, in their full bench of seven in number, to review that decision.”
Others similarly affirmed they would use what legislative tools were at their disposal to counter the ruling.
The outrage in Kenya comes as radical left-wing ideology continues to make gains internationally.
Late last month, a South Korean high court granted men in same-sex relationships eligibility to be considered a “couple” for the purposes of national health insurance coverage, LifeSiteNews reported. The decision was South Korea’s first move in awarding privileges under the law for people in homosexual unions.
The U.S. and other western nations have notably encouraged the spread of LGBT ideology across the globe. Late last year, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) announced a $1.5 million grant program to fund LGBT organizations worldwide.