Gay rights ‘non issue’, says Kenya President

Nairobi: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday dismissed gay rights as a “non-issue” ahead of a visit by US President Barack Obama later this week. Kenyatta also said Deputy President William Ruto, who is still on trial at the International Criminal in The Hague accused of crimes against humanity, would also meet the US leader.

“That is a non-issue to the people of this country, and it is definitely not on our agenda at all,” Kenyatta said in response to question about gay rights. “We as a country, as a continent, are faced with much more serious issues which we would want to engage the US and all our partners with.” Obama’s planned Kenya visit was itself long delayed by Kenyatta’s indictment by the ICC.

Those charges, linked to post-election ethnic violence in 2007 — 2008, were suspended last year  in part, prosecutors say, because the Kenyan government thwarted the investigation. Kenyatta said Obama would meet all members of the government. “Without a doubt, he is coming to meet the government that is in place, that includes all of us,” Kenyatta said. Ruto has spoken out against homosexuality, telling worshippers in church in May it was “against the plan” of God. In May, he said there was “no room for homosexuals” in Kenya.