Kenya has taken another leaf out of Uganda’s book, with a newspaper printing the names and images of the nation’s “top homos”. Of the twelve people listed by Citizen Weekly, some are openly-lgbt activists, while others were not out at all. “Homosexuality and lesbianism are slowly taking root in Kenya,” the paper claims. “It was initially in boarding schools, prisons but now has found its way in churches and other institution including blue chip companies and even among sportsmen and women. “Government institutions such as the judiciary, parliament, senate and counties have not been spared. Of late, there are thousands of homosexuals and lesbians. The list of gays has well known faces including two governors, two senators and a cabinet secretary.” Activists have told Gay Star News they are worried the newspaper will incite violence, similar to when Ugandan activist David Kato was killed after being 'named and shamed' on the front page of a tabloid in 2010. “If homophobes were looking to target people, if the police were looking to arrest people, if anti-gay youths were looking to attack some teen they assume is gay, they now have a face and a name,” Denis Nzioka, one of those listed, has told Gay Star News. “We are now walking targets. While some of the people on the list are open about being gay, some are not. It is putting every person's career, life and family at risk.” The Commonwealth nation's deputy president William Ruto recently told a church service "The Republic of Kenya is a republic that worships God. We have no room for gays.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 12th May 2015 - 10:42am