homosexuals not threat to aids fight

By Mwangi Githahu (BtM Correspondent)

May 31, 2006: A Kenyan government agency is considering moves to relax laws relating homosexuality as one of the measures to the spread of Aids further.

In a paper to be discussed at a round-table special session of the United Nations General Assembly today, the government said it would review laws relating to the rights of groups vulnerable to Aids.

The document appears to be an effort to conform with the African Union position for the same meeting which describes vulnerable groups as "the poor, women, young people, orphans and vulnerable children, men who have sex with me, migrants, prisoners, sex workers, the disabled, people affected by conflicts, and injection drug users."

The Kenyan paper proposes that "discriminative laws criminalizing vulnerable groups" be amended. It says further; "There are some laws in Kenya that present obstacles to effective HIV prevention and care among certain vulnerable populations."

Confirming that the subject of homosexuality had been discussed, Health Minister Charity Ngilu however said that while the government had no intentions of changing the laws which made homosexuality illegal, it was not unwilling to listen to anyone who may provide a way of reducing the HIV/Aids infection rates.

"It is a big step and an admission by the government that even if the laws do not allow this, homosexuality is a contributory factor to the infection rates. We should discuss this subject and agree on what should be done. The churches have spoken against it and we stand by their position. However, we cannot ignore the subject and pretend that it is not happening," Mrs Ngilu, who is in Geneva attending the World Health Organisation general assembly said.

She said that while the government continued to ensure more people getting access Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), the biggest challenge that it faced was to curb the rate of new infections. She said condom use will continue as part of the intervention measures to reduce the infection rate.

"The young people are the most at risk. They should be educated about this matter as they are the single largest section of the society whose infection rate continues to rise”, she said.

Homosexual acts are unlawful in Kenya and according to the Penal Code, are punishable by imprisonment of between five and 14 years.

The Catholic Church and the Protestant churches in Kenya, including Anglicans, condemn homosexuality as sinful. In Islam, the Koran forbids homosexual acts.

Latif Shaban of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) said that though the organisation was aware of the proposals on homosexuality, they had refused to endorse them and were of the opinion that no right thinking community would back them.

A poll carried out by Steadman Associates in Kenya last year showed that 96 percent of respondents viewed homosexuality as being against their beliefs.

Angus Parkinson, Coordinator of HIV Services at Liverpool VCT & Care in Nairobi told the Sunday Nation: "In order for us to truly address the sexual health needs of vulnerable groups we must address the issues that make them vulnerable. In the case of men who have sex with men in Kenya, it is imperative that parallel to providing friendly HIV prevention and care services we, as health professionals, also tackle issues of stigma, prejudice and laws that further marginalise these vulnerable groups".

The government's proposals come in the midst of a storm in the Anglican Church of Kenya following the visit of an English Anglican bishop sympathetic to Christian lesbian and gay rights groups in Britain.