Statement on the #Repeal162 petition in Kenya

The LGBTQ+ Movement in Nigeria stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in Kenya following the recent #Repeal162 ruling.

Kenya’s Penal Code which dates to the British colonial era criminalizes consensual same-sex relations between adults. The discriminatory law will remain intact following a High Court ruling which rejected a petition by LGBT organizations in Kenya calling for the declaration of the penal code as unconstitutional and the decriminalization of homosexuality in the country.

This disappointing ruling is a major setback in the struggle for the human rights of sexual minorities in Africa. The judges, Chacha Mwita, Roselyne Aburili, and John Mativo, by giving this judgment have decided that equal rights are for everybody excluding people who are LGBTQ. The continued upholding of these archaic laws legitimizes and abets human rights violations, violence, and discrimination against members of Kenya’s LGBTQ community.

We, therefore, stand in solidarity, support and love with the Kenyan LGBTQ community as they continue to fight for equality, dignity and fair treatment for all.

A Luta Continua!

Signed,

The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs)