Kenya protesters warn Obama against bringing up gay rights during visit

About 35 people attended the demonstration organized by The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya in Nairobi, the country’s capital.

The demonstration is aimed at US President Barack Obama, who protesters fear will put pressure on the government to legalise same-sex marriage during his upcoming visit on July 25.

While Christian paster Mark Kariuki – the organizer of Monday’s protest – said he welcomes Obama’s visit to “his father’s home”, Obama should not “talk about the gay issue”, according to The Nation.

“We do not want Obama and Obama, we do not want Michelle and Michelle”, protesters chanted.

The protest comes a day after Deputy President William Ruto said same-sex couples should leave the country. Many African religious and political leaders rejected that appeal.

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of Kenya says that blackmailing and extortion of LGBT persons are common-threatening to out persons to spouses, family members and employers.

However, the High Court set a ground-breaking precedent in a ruling today, which found that the groups should be permitted – and that popular morality and religion should not be basis for limiting rights in Kenya.

“No amount of persuasions, theories or philosophy will make us change our position”.

President Obama’s visit is being used to rile up anti-gay sentiment as a means of diverting attention and gaining popularity for local politicians through the churches.

In 2013, shortly after the US Supreme Court overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act, Obama called on African leaders to grant equal protection to all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Yet there’s one subject than some Kenyans do not want brought up: gay rights.

There were more than a few jokes at the expense of a lawyer who plans to offer 50 cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats as a bride price for Obama’s elder daughter, 17-year-old Malia.

Despite the growing outrage, President Obama has stood firm.

Earnest said he was not aware of what Nakamura was referring to, but, “we have been clear that when the president travels around the world, he does not hesitate to raise concerns about human rights”. Using the hashtag #KenyansMessageToObama, there’s a rising trend on Twitter in Kenya urging Obama to remain silent on LGBT rights during his visit.