Politics
Ruto Declares His Stand On LGBTQ Community In Kenya
Deputy President William Ruto on Friday stated that his Christian background teaches against homosexuality but if tagged chairman, the Constitution, and the law will be the guiding principle.
Speaking during a candid interview moderated by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele at the Center for Strategic International Studies, the DP reiterated that no bone should attack another Kenyan because they don’t like what they’re doing.
“My position as a Christian is that Bible teaches us against homosexuality and related matters, that is me as William Ruto.
“As a public leader and a servant, the constitution and the law in Kenya becomes the guiding principle. Whatever is within the constitution and the law I will respect. So long as everybody is operating within the law and within what’s permissible in the constitution they have nothing to fear because we are a nation governed by the rule of law,” he stated.
Asked whether members of the LGBTQ community will be safe if he’s tagged the fifth chairman of Kenya, Ruto maintained that every Kenyan must be subordinated to the rule of law and only admissible authorities should take action on those who breach the law.
“I do not think anybody should pick up arms against any Kenyan irrespective of whether you like what they are doing or not. Every Kenyan must be subjected to the rule of law and if you think any Kenyan is not acting in the right way, it is not for you to decide to harm them, it is for the law to take its course.
“No Kenyan should be subjected to any form of harassment or any form of harm. The only authority that can take action over anybody is the authorities that are permissible within the law and if a Kenyan has not broken any law, nobody should harass them,” he stated.
This appears to be a shift from his stage in 2015 when he advised anyone pushing for gay rights in Kenya, adding that they didn’t have a place in the country’s society.
At the time, Ruto scarfed at the United States (US) Supreme Court ruling that granted rights across American countries for same- coitus marriages, saying the same will noway be replicated locally.
“The other day you heard that in America the court has ruled about homosexuality but in this country, we will defend what is right and what our faith states,” he said.
The DP added that Kenya is a God- stewing nation and will noway honor anyone pushing gay and lesbian rights, asking those who want to exercise it to look for other countries.
He said an inviting maturity of Kenyans are Christians whose faith only recognises marriage as a union between a man and a woman as ordained by God at creation.
In 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the LGBTQ debate anon-issue that went against the artistic beliefs of a maturity of Kenyans.
Deputy President William Ruto has vowed to that his government if given the mandate to lead the country in the August 9 polls will deal with hands-on with ‘State capture.’
According to the Presidential candidate, state policies are being used to facilitate the theft of public funds as corruption had been absorbed into government.
DP William Ruto made these calims while speaking to the Reuters in an interview.
“We have no intention of prosecuting President Uhuru Kenyatta, but we have every intention of dealing with State capture. It cannot be business as usual,” the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate said.
DP Ruto’s running mate, Rigathi Gachagua also alluded to said State capture, saying those involved will be dealt with should Kenya Kwanza form the next government.
“We will not go after individuals. We will go after all those in state capture and conflict of interest,” Gachagua said in a joint media broadcast.
The Mathira MP vaguely explained that it was “people in power who have used or are using their offices to use up public resources to their advantage,” when asked who or what State capture was.
The DP has also revealed plans of bringing to end the Kenya’s national debt, which currently stands at Sh9 trillion, in an exclusive interview with international media.
He said the country has the capacity to handle the debt situation, and that they as Kenya Kwanza have mapped out plans of how to go about it, should they win.
“We will put the brakes on more borrowing. It may not come to zero but we will begin the journey to slow down on more borrowing,” the DP said.
Campaigns hit fever pitch and candidates scramble for airtime to sell their agendas with just eighteen (18) days left as Kenya will soon be headed to the General Election.
Sonko has increased the intense in the race for Mombasa county which already has aspirants from the UDA and ODM parties.
Sonko has finally been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
On Thursday, July 14 2022, Sonko in the accompany of his supporters was given the green light.
The former Nairobi governor was invited by the IEBC to submit his letter for clearance as per a letter addressed to him earlier.
“The venue will be the IEBC Mombasa County offices and you are expected to submit your papers on July 14, 2022 between 2pm and 4pm,” Swalha Ibrahim the returning officer said.
The letter to Sonko came after a high court ruled that the politician doesn’t be disqualified from vying for governor noting that the governor was eligible to run for office. The commission said it could not head to the courts to appeal the decision as time could not allow.
Addressing the media after the clearance, Sonko said his candidature seeks to solve the problems of the people in the Coastal city and that he was bringing a new awakening in the city.
Sonko said he was not worried about the short time time line he has to undertake the campaigns in the large city noting that he was drawing a campaign schedule to begin immediately.
“We must campaign, we have few days but we will utilize them properly. We can do two days per constituency or a day per constituency,” Sonko noted.
Funding Partnerships and Grants Manager at Northern Rangelands Trust
Legal Counsel at Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)
