Binyavanga Wainaina slams DP Ruto’s remarks on homosexuality
Self-confessed “gay mom” Binyavanga Wainaina has criticized Deputy President William Ruto’s remarks that Kenya would not allow homosexuality.
The DP on Sunday told the congregation at the Jesus Winner Ministry in Kasarani that the government would side with the religious leaders in their opposition to registration of gay and lesbian organisation in Kenya as ordered by the High Court last week.
The Attorney General Githu Muigai has since appealed against the ruling.
“We will stand with religious leaders to defend our faith and believes. We will not allow homosexuality in our society as it violates our religious and cultural believes. There’s no room for homosexuality in this country. That one I can assure you,” said Mr Ruto.
“When we say this we are not saying so as to get votes but to protect what we all believe is not right.”
But Binyavanga, an award-winning author who “came out” last year, said Ruto’s remarks demonstrate “how we allow ourselves to be cursed by the fear of ourselves that imperialism left us making”.
BURN THE ‘WITCH’
“What he is saying comes straight from the same evil that asks people to pull weeds from their land. Watch and listen to the man who wants to build into being our next president on the back of what we are being fear-ganged into hating,” he posted on his Facebook page.
“He asks you to walk into your neighbours house and burn the ‘witch’.”
Binyavanga further dismissed the DP’s remarks as the politics of gasoline and matches – “by the time it grows into a fever, women will be undressed in public, told to obey husbands, give their salaries over”.
“See boys will be beaten bloody in villages for ‘talking like a girl’. Here sits the idea that our constitution is bad, that our women must remain minors to their husbands, people’s peoplehood can be measured in hysteria churches, the Christianity of hellfire, and the state must concede to this,” he added.
“You will hear no words about the rape of Liz from this man, nothing ever about the killing of albinos in Tanzania, but you know most certainly that many more will die while he has political power, because his power is looking ONLY for a way to grow out of this.”