Nairobi —
Gay rights will not be enshrined in the new Constitution.
The
Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review said at the weekend they had
shrugged off pressure from some British MPs who wanted gay rights to be included
in the draft Constitution they are preparing.
Mr Otiende
Amolo, a member of the committee said they turned down the British MPs' request
for homosexual rights, with fears that majority of Kenyans would reject the
draft during the forthcoming referendum.
"On
several occasions some British MPs have approached us on the gay matter. They
wanted us to include homosexual and lesbians' rights in the draft. But we told
them in their faces that such a thing cannot happen because if we did so
majority of Kenyans will reject the draft during the forthcoming
referendum," he said.
The telling
decision coincided with news from London that Kenyans Charles Ngengi (groom)
and , Daniel Chege Gichia (bride) held a wedding on Saturday under the
controversial Civil Partnership Act which came into effect in the UK in 2005
allowing couples of the same sex to have legal recognition of their
relationship.
The
Act, a civil partnership is defined as a legal marriage between gay and lesbian
couples, and any couples who enter into a civil partnership obtain the new
legal status of civil partners, instead of the traditional husband and wife
status.
On Sunday,
religious leaders said the union was unacceptable and unnatural.
Anglican
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala said the union was nothing to celebrate about.
"The
union is abnormal. As an African and a church leader I am a bit ashamed. We
should advice others not to do the same," Eliud Wabukala.
Nominated
MP and Muslim leader Sheikh Mohammed Dor was also unhappy with the union saying
it was against African traditions. He said the Quaran, Bible and Hindu
scriptures detest such unions.
"It
should be discouraged by all means. It is un-African and against our
traditions. It is unfortunate that it is Kenyans who did it," he said.
Sheikh Dor
said it was time the government too a stand on immoral issues. Saying it was
the responsibility of the government.
Sheikh Dor
added that countries like China took a stand long ago and such things cannot be
tolerated.
He warned
that now it has happed to two, if not stopped, others will soon follow suit. "We
should tell our youth to shun it at all costs," he said.
Mr Amolo
said the foreign MPs wanted gay rights to be in the Kenyan new constitution to
allow Kenyan homosexuals and lesbians the right to same marriages.
Even
though the formulation of a constitution should consider the interests of both
the majority and minorities, he said the gay issue was too controversial and
had been rejected by all religious groups.
Mr Amolo
said from all the 5,000 memorandums they received from religious groups one of
their conditions was that the gay issue be left out since it was unnatural act
in the country.
"Majority
of Kenyans are opposed to same marriages and anything to do with homosexuals
and lesbians. The matter is considered unnatural in the society," he added
The
lawyer was speaking at Sportman's Arms Hotel in Nanyuki during a workshop which
was attended by Kenya Correspondents Association members from all parts of the
country.
The
committee had organised the workshop for correspondents so as to create
awareness on the process of constitution making and also to help in educating
the public.
A
Reuters Correspondent Noor Ali had called on the experts to leave out the gay
rights issue saying it was unacceptable in the local society.
Mr
Ali appealed to the experts to deal with important issues which affect Kenyan
lives rather spending time debating on homosexuals.
"Gay
issues are not acceptable in our society and therefore the experts should not
waste time on such unnatural acts. How can a Kenyan marry another man when many
women out there are looking for men to marry them?" he posed.