Obama talked about homosexuality during past visits to South Africa, Tanzania and Senegal, and the White House indicates he doesn’t plan to shy away from it now. The Chinese internet has recently been in tumult over the United States’ universal legalization of same-sex marriage.
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‘We are telling Mr Obama when he comes to Kenya this month and he tries to bring the abortion agenda, the gay agenda, we shall tell him to shut up and go home, ‘ lawmaker Irungu Kangata told the demonstrators outside parliament, many of whom chanted: ‘Obama, no gay.’.
During his African visit, Obama also will stop in Ethiopia-the first sitting USA president to visit the country-to meet with the Ethiopian government and African Union leaders for talks on economic and security issues. Secretly-installed video cameras provide evidence that “they tell you they can send to your wife, they can send it to your employer if you are not going to pay 300,000 Kenyan shillings ($3,200)”, said Eric Gitari of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of Kenya.
And what a divergence from the real issues at hand – not surprising from the dusty playbook of religious right and politicians.
Gay rights featured heavily. “We want Obama and Michelle and we want a child!” On Monday, a handful of people in Nairobi gathered for a protest against homosexuality.
Online, some Kenyan social media users echoed the statement, using the hashtag #KenyansMessageToObama to push an anti-homosexual message. In the aftermath of a decision by the US Supreme Court, however, gay marriage is being perceived as one of the key successes of his two terms in office. “I want to say as a Christian leader that we will defend our country Kenya, we will stand for our faith and our country”.
Asked by the Post whether the visit was predicated on Obama not talking about certain subjects, Earnest replied, “Absolutely not”.
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Earnest said he was not aware of what Nakamura was referring to, but, “we have been clear that when the president travels around the world, he does not hesitate to raise concerns about human rights”. More than half of the countries on the continent have laws criminalizing homosexuality, and it is punishable by death in some places.
