When Homophobia Comes Out to Play
Kenya is on the verge of making history as the second African country to decriminalise homosexuality. The High Court will on the 26th of April give the dates when they will make the rulings on the case where three Queer Rights NGO’s moved to court to challenge the constitutionality of sections of the penal code which criminalise homosexuality. Between 2010 and early 2014, nearly 600 people have been prosecuted under section 162, which, apart from arrest, has laid the groundwork for discrimination, physical and emotional violence, blackmail and harassment. It’s on this basis that the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission went to court as co-petitioners to challenge the constitutionality of the impugned section based on the premise that they infringe on citizen’s right to dignity, privacy and non-discrimination which are protected by the constitution. Represented by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, the 3-day hearing was an emotional roller coaster with the courtroom packed t