Kenyan civil rights group wants to allow gay and lesbian Kenyans to marry, a move that would mark a milestone in the country’s long-simmering debate over marriage equality.
The Kenyatta Marriage Law Association (KMLA), which was founded in 2005 to fight against same-sex marriage, has been calling for the legalisation of same-gender marriages since 2010, arguing that same- sex marriage violates Kenyan law.
The KMLA said on Thursday that it will take a stance on the issue at a meeting on Saturday.
“We want the Kenyan government to give consideration to the right of same sex couples to be married, and allow for civil marriages,” the KMLP said in a statement.
The association also wants the legalising of same gender marriage to be the law of the land, citing the recent marriage equality legislation passed by Kenya’s parliament.
“This is a major step towards our long-standing goal of being able to bring about a positive change in our society, and this would be an excellent outcome for Kenyathans and Kenyan society as a whole,” KML president Mwenda Chinta said in the statement.KMLP president Mweka Wani said in her statement on Thursday: “We are not against gays and lesbians.
We want the rights of all people to be respected.
We are against discrimination and racism.
We believe in equality and freedom of choice.”
A statement on the KmlA website said that the KLMA would ask the government to allow gays and lesbian couples to marry.
“The government must recognise that we are Kenyas, and that we do not have to hide our identities and that it is up to us to be ourselves, which is why we will ask the Kenya government to respect our rights as a Kenyathean and to allow for a marriage to take place.
We hope the government will give consideration and support to the KMWA in this regard.”
A Kenyan wedding is held in the village of Wana Tawanda in Kenya’s Nairobi region, February 19, 2021.
