Ruto slams Supreme Court's same sex ruling

Kenya's President William Ruto has spoken out against a Supreme Court ruling that gave the gay and lesbian community the right to form an association. The Standard reports following mounting pressure by different groups that the President take a stand in the debate, Ruto said the official registration of an association for LGBTQ will not happen in Kenya. Ruto said although they promised to obey and respect the courts, it will not do so on this ruling. ‘We will not. We will hold on to our culture and traditions. We will not allow same gender marriages’. He added: ‘We cannot go to the streets to demand that they be allowed to marry. This can happen elsewhere but it will not happen in Kenya. Let me assure our women that I will not allow other women to bring competition or the other way round. If the men take all the men where will you get husbands?’ However, Ruto did not say the steps he would take following the ruling, but urged religious leaders to stand their ground and continue ‘fighting for culture’. The Supreme Court said the decision to deny LGBTQ members their right to register as an NGO – despite homosexuality being illegal in Kenya – was discriminatory. Opposition leder Raila Odinga said they would not sit back as the Constitution was violated. Raila said the best ruling would have been for the judges to ask the community to table a petition in Parliament that would be enacted into law. ‘It's not the role of the judiciary to make laws. The Constitution recognises separation of powers. Let Parliament do its job. Let them decide on whether they will amend the Act or not and we will respect the outcome of Parliament.’