Kenyan judge: Homosexuality will eventually be accepted here

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

Justice Wanjiru Karanja (Photo courtesy of Standard Media)

A senior judge in Kenya says that homosexuality “will eventually be accepted in Kenya, though it would take years.” Appellate court Justice Wanjiru Karanja is one of 13 judges shortlisted for the position of deputy chief justice.

The Nairobi News reported:

A senior judge on Wednesday said homosexuality “will eventually be accepted in Kenya though it would take years”.

Justice Wanjiru Karanja of the Court of Appeal told the Judicial Service Commission that Kenya was a nascent democracy, where tradition and culture were highly valued, and that even old democracies such as the US took centuries to accept such people.

“I don’t want to create the impression that if a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer case is brought to me, I’d handle it as such, but Kenyans need to be heard. The Constitution provides for the protection of human rights. Let us understand them first,” she said.

The judge is among several people, who have expressed interest in the deputy chief justice job.

She said there should be no controversy surrounding intersex people, since this “is biological”.
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“It’s not something they brought upon themselves. The courts have a responsibility to guide us through this,” she said.

Karanja also discussed the fight against corruption in the Kenya judiciary, the need for improved training for judges and prosecutors, and methods for solving the problem of men who abandon their children.

For more information, read the full article in the Nairobi News, “Judge says Kenyans will accept homosexuals, but it will take time.”

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