Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has criticized Kenya for recently supporting the renewal of a United Nations mandate for LGBTQ+ rights. He is calling on President William Ruto to immediately change this decision.
In a strong statement on his official X account on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Kaluma said that Kenya’s support for this resolution is wrong and does not align with the country’s cultural, moral, and religious beliefs.
He expressed, “Homosexuality and LGBTQ issues pushed on developing countries by the West are harming our societies. We cannot support it in any way. It goes against our culture, harms our health, contradicts our faiths, and is completely unacceptable!”
Kaluma also mentioned that Western countries, which he claims introduced homosexuality to the world, are now moving away from it.
He said, “The West, which brought this issue to us, is now recognizing its dangers and trying to escape from it. In places like the USA and Europe, laws are being passed against various aspects of homosexuality.”
Kaluma, known for his strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, urged President Ruto to rethink this decision and take back Kenya’s support for the mandate.
“Please change your decision. It is completely unacceptable. Our cultural values are very important and should not be traded for anything,” he added.
He also warned that the Kenyan Parliament will not accept any agreement that appears to allow LGBTQ+ rights in the country. “As long as I am here, Parliament will not approve any agreement that permits homosexuality in Kenya!” he stated.
Kenya was one of 29 countries that voted to renew the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity during a vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The mandate, held by South African scholar Graeme Reid, focuses on documenting human rights abuses against LGBTQ+ people and discussing ways to prevent such violations.
While human rights groups welcomed the vote as an important step for LGBTQ+ protections worldwide, it also received criticism from some African nations and conservative leaders like Kaluma.
Countries that voted against the renewal included Qatar, Nigeria, and several other African states, while three countries chose not to vote.
The United States, which had previously supported the mandate under the Biden administration, was not present for the vote. The U.S. had left the Human Rights Council under former President Donald Trump, citing concerns about bias against Israel at the council.
The final vote count was 29 in favour, 15 against, and three abstentions.
