Bien-Aime: I support LGBTQ community
Sauti Sol lead vocalist Bien-Aime Baraza has wadded into the LGBTQ debate that has been in the headlines since the Supreme Court ruling allowing members of the community to register NGO groups.
In an interview on TV47, Bien said he fully supports LGBTQ since whatever someone choses to do behind closed doors and inside the four walls of their bedroom is not our business but theirs.
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“I support LGBTQ, I support people doing what they want. In Kenya our problems are hunger, economic empowerment proper education in our schools. There are so many problems that come before this LGBTQ issue,” Bien Aime said.
“But I feel the government is using this issue to hoodwink you guys and remove your attention from the things that actually matter. LGBTQ is not a bigger problem than corruption in our country, so please focus on the things that are important. What someone does in their bedrooms is there problem not ours,” he explained.
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He also said being a member of the LGBTQ community should not be the issue, because if, for instance, there is no one who ascribes to the community in Kenya that would not end hunger or corruption in the country.
“What affects all of us is corruption. Why are we seeing Kenyans dying of hunger? You want to tell me when LGBTQ ends hunger or corruption would also end? Imagine right now if some is diagnosed with cancer in Kenya they die, your family finances are depleted in front of their eyes. That energy we have on LGBTQ should be focused on other things that make sense, like corruption, education and healthcare. We need to have a Universal Health Care,” he said.
Bien’s position on the debate is hardly surprising given that his fellow band member Willis Chimano is openly gay. Although there were rumours about his sexuality before he came out, he received a lot of backlash from the public after he disclosed his sexual orientation.
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The Supreme Court recently upheld a High Court judgment that the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordination Board ought to register an NGO that seeks to fight for the human rights of LGBTQ people saying not doing so would amount to discrimination based on sexual orientation. It did not touch on same-sex marriages.
President William Ruto, deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Azimio leader Raila Odinga and other politicians have come out to strongly criticise the courts decision.