I am Bishop Antonio Ocharo of the Catholic Church in Exile, Diocese of Kenya. I am married with 4 children. I was raised up as a Roman Catholic adherent and later in life I joined a Roman Catholic Seminary pursuing studies in philosophy and theology in preparation for priesthood ordination.
After completing priesthood formation I opted to join the Anglican Church of Kenya for ordination where I worked for 10 years before resignation from active Church ministry for personal reasons. The said personal “reasons” was the exclusive doctrines. I later found a home in the Catholic Church in Exile which is an affirming Church.
LGBTQIA+ activism in Kenya faces severe challenges including legal restrictions on same-sex relationships, pervasive social stigma, violence, and a lack of protection from law enforcement and the government. Activists navigate a hostile environment characterized by widespread discrimination in healthcare, housing, and employment, alongside risks of harassment, forced confessions, and persecution, particularly for transgender individuals and LGBTQIA+ refugees.
The situation for LGBTQ+ people in Kenya is marked by legal criminalization of same-sex intimacy, which carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. This leads to significant social stigma, discrimination, and violence, including blackmail, extortion, hate crimes, and denial of services like housing and healthcare. While a 2023 Supreme Court decision allowed LGBTQ+ organizations to register, ongoing legal and social challenges, fueled by conservative political and religious views, create a hostile environment for the community.
LGBTQIA+ refugees face ongoing persecution, violence, and threats, with a systemic failure by authorities to provide safety or opportunities for resettlement.
In Kenya, the LGBTQ+ community faces significant challenges due to laws that criminalize same-sex acts, leading to legal risks, discrimination, and violence. While the Supreme Court upheld the right for LGBTQ+ organizations to register in 2023, the community still deals with social stigma, lack of legal protections, and limited access to services. Law enforcement occasionally arrests individuals using broader statutes like ‘loitering’.
The Penal Code, a colonial-era law, makes same-sex sexual activity illegal, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
While prosecutions are not always frequent, law enforcement can use laws against “gross indecency” or “carnal knowledge against the order of nature”. LGBTQIA+ individuals can also face arrest and harassment under other laws, such as those concerning “loitering” or “impersonation”. There are no laws that permit transgender people to legally change their gender, and they can be targeted by laws criminalizing same-sex activity.
The LGBTQIA+ community experiences widespread discrimination and violence, including hate crimes, blackmail, and extortion. Social stigma is prevalent in healthcare settings, leading to discrimination and making it difficult for many to access non-stigmatizing services.
LGBTQIA+ refugees face particularly high rates of violence, including attacks, robbery, and arson, especially in camps like Kakuma.
Activists continue to challenge discriminatory laws and work towards greater equality. Deeply embedded social stigma, fueled by conservative rhetoric from religious, political, and cultural leaders, leads to widespread lack of acceptance and ostracization. Many LGBTQIA+ individuals face rejection and isolation from their own families. The LGBTQIA+ Community experiences widespread violence, including physical attacks, insults, extortion, rape, and forced anal examinations.
This environment of violence and abuse takes a severe toll on the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals, leading to stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Openly identifying as LGBTQIA+ or engaging in activism requires constant awareness of one’s environment, speech, and associations, limiting the ability to express oneself freely.
Kenyan society is highly conservative, and a large majority of people hold negative views of LGBTQIA+ people.
WAY FORWARD
I came up with undercover programs in reaching out to LGBTQIA+ communities in Kenya. I visit individuals in their localities and where possible gather them in small groups and share with them message of encouragement and offer counselling services. The family rejects their own, the community considers them as social misfits and to make matters worse, the church classifies them as worst sinners and excommunicated them!
We pray for support from the Global LGBTQIA+ Groups and individuals to help us establish a rescue centre for empowerment purposes before releasing them to the community. Also we have limitations in reaching out to swelling number across Kenya. We have a challenge in facilitation.
Most Rev. Antonio Ocharo, OSB
P.O. Box 818 – 40200,
Kisii, Kenya.
Email: nyandoro69@gmail.com
Cellphone: ±254723501529