THE LIARS CLUB -- KENYA:¨Religious movements and African religious leaders deny they’re inciting hate crimes against homosexuals...Part Two

They say they encourage an attitude of “love the sinner but hate the sin” Denis Nzioka, Kenya

East African gay rights activist tells of homosexuals’ struggle to belong in a society that condemns them!

Archbishops Henry Orombi/Uganda and Eliud Wabukala/Kenya ¨attack homosexuals in their sermons¨ 

“All the…religions condemn homosexuality in any form.… So you have these preachers, these bishops, these televangelists, gaining massive followings by violently attacking homosexuals in their sermons,” Nzioka says.

African religious leaders blame ¨Gays¨ for natural disasters

He tells how some Kenyan religious leaders have blamed the country’s gays for natural disasters, saying events like drought are God’s punishment for Kenyans having same-sex relationships. Some Kenyan religious leaders have also organized public protests against gays.

Anti-LGBTI Anglican African Bishops gather at Entebbe, Uganda and condemn homosexuals as ¨evil¨

“Here we have actually had religious leaders visiting gay people’s homes and shouting to the public, ‘This is an evil homosexual house!’”, Nzioka exclaims. “And it’s a bishop, it’s an imam, it’s a sheikh, and they’re the ones leading the people (against gays). So religion is fueling homophobia, is instigating violence, is instigating discrimination.”

Sometimes, he says, Kenyan religious “zealots” are even more overt in their actions against the gay community. Last year, police arrested an evangelical preacher with some grenades in his possession. The suspect told police he intended to bomb the Gay and Lesbian Coalition’s office in Nairobi.

The Lesbian and Gay Coalition members ¨stay together¨ for safety and mutual support in Kenya

“He actually said that he was going to kill homosexuals. And he was asked, for what reason? (He replied) ‘Oh, God said; God said that homosexuals should be killed’.… It’s very shocking, and it’s actually a bomb! It’s not like it’s a knife or a stone.…” says Nzioka, continuing, “So now there’s constant paranoia here. We are never sure when a parcel arrives that it is not a bomb. When we leave the office, we are aware that we may be attacked at any time by some homophobic maniac. It’s very, very scary.” read it all, HERE

· Thanks to Gay Kenya
· Thanks to Denis Nzioka, Nairobi
· Thanks to Voice of America