A Kenyan Catholic archbishop has said that homosexual acts are unacceptable, days after the Supreme Court ruled to allow a gay association in the East African nation.
Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri was joining other Church leaders and politicians in criticising the ruling, which rights and liberal groups have welcomed as progressive.
“The acts of homosexuality can never be acceptable. They [homosexual acts] are evil, therefore, if this association is to spread, popularise and bring about more and more people into this kind of actions and behaviour, we call it out as an evil behaviour and must be addressed as such,” Muheria told Citizen TV on 27 February.
He was responding to the 24 February majority judgment which said denying gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and queer an association was discriminatory.
Homosexuality is illegal in Kenya and those caught in the acts can serve up to 14 years imprisonment, but the court said despite the ban members had the right to association.
The archbishop said it was necessary to distinguish between the right to associate and allowing them to carry out homosexual actions that are condemned by God or that degrade the society.
“That’s what we are calling out. We have to distinguish between the two. These brothers and sisters need company. In the Catholic Church and in the church, we welcome them, telling them all of us have weaknesses,” he said.
Muheria explained there were people with inclinations towards anger, infidelity and promiscuity, “but we accompany them to get out those inclinations so that we can get the muscle to live up to the Christian calling, human calling.”
Some Church leaders point out that the ruling follows the Church of England’s decision to bless same sex unions. They want Kenyan Christians to reject and resist the judgment, saying it will erode societal values.
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