Homosexuality in Kenya

Kenya

Homosexuality is taboo in Kenya and homosexual acts between men are punishable.

Legal situation

Guest house rules on the Islamic east coast

Homosexual acts between men are punishable under sections 162 to 165 of the Penal Code in Kenya. The sentence is 5 to 14 years imprisonment. Homosexual acts between women are not a criminal offense in Kenya. However, there have been no criminal convictions in recent years.

There is no anti-discrimination law in Kenya. Likewise, there is no state recognition of same-sex couples either in the form of same-sex marriage or in a registered partnership .

In November 2009 it became known that the government was planning a census of homosexual men, which was justified as a preventive measure against the HIV virus , which is widespread in Kenya . This is seen as problematic above all because of the legal criminality of homosexual acts in Kenya. Previously, homosexual people were not included in AIDS prevention, although their prevalence is 43 percent according to a 2007 study.

A same-sex marriage is possible in Kenya only through a constitutional amendment, since the Constitution of 2010, only the right is anchored, a person of the opposite sex to get married (Chapter 2, paragraph 45 (2)).

Social situation

Homosexual people are pushed into the social underground by the legal situation. There are currently eight organizations in the capital, Nairobi , which promote the legalization of homosexuality, advise gays and lesbians and educate them about AIDS and HIV .

The film Rafiki by director Wanuri Kahiu tells a lesbian love story in Nairobi. The film was initially banned in Kenya in 2018 due to the positive portrayal of homosexuality, but following a complaint by the director, the ban was lifted and the film was shown in Kenyan cinemas.

See also

• Laws on homosexuality
• Equality (homosexuals)

Movies

• Jim Chuchu: Stories of Our Lives , 2014
• Rafiki , 2018

Web links

• Peter-Philipp Schmitt: "Risk of being gay" In: FAZ from July 10, 2014
• Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)
• Organization GayKenya
• UK Government: Kenya Travel Advice (English)
• ILGA: Kenya (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Organization Behind the Mask: Kenya ( Memento of the original from July 30, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ^ ^{A b} Felix Wadewitz, Matthias Mengel: "I am tired" in Die Zeit
3. ↑ Kenya wants to count gays ( memento of the original from January 16, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. queernews.at of November 9, 2009  
4. ↑ kenyalaw.org: Chapter 2, Paragraph 45 (2) ( Memento of the original from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
5. ↑ Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)