By Enyichukwu Enemanna
First Lady of Kenya, Rachel Ruto, has said same-sex relations is a threat to family institution, declaring national prayers against homosexuality in the country.
“We want to strengthen the family institution where we have a father, a mother and children. LGBTQ is forbidden even in the Bible and the African culture. Let us hold on to family values,” she said on Sunday during a church service in Meru county.
“I would like us to pray on matters of family. The family has become an institution that has been very much attacked…” local media quoted the First Lady in a report.
The president’s wife had earlier created a Faith Diplomacy Office which she says, will be spreading a praying culture across the country.
She said the Faith Diplomacy Office will take prayers to the rest of the country and that a programme has been crafted “to ensure family values are protected.”
She urged Kenyans to put more focus on matters of family, as the LGBTQ debate is threatening the family structure.
The debate surrounding LGBT rights and acceptance, has been ongoing in the country for quite some time now, with supporters and opponents voicing their opinions on the matter.
The country’s Vice President, Rigathi Gachagua had last week, stated that the practice of LGBT, will not be condoned in the country, a statement that attracted criticism from those who advocate for LGBT rights and acceptance.
The Supreme Court had in its ruling, recognised the right of the LGBTQ+ community to form a lobby group, a decision the National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula had kicked against.
According to him, Kenya is secular and very religious, that it is up to the highest court in the country to defend “public morality”.
In January, body of a 25-year-old gay activist, Edwin Chiloba, was found on the side of the road in the western Rift Valley.