US Commits to Protect the Rights of the Kenyan LGBTQ Community

United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman has said her country will continue to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Kenya.

In a post on Twitter on Tuesday, Whitman said she met with the LGBTQI community and stakeholders in the past week, adding that the US is actively championing the recognition and rights of gay people.

"Over the past week, my team and I met with the LGBTQI+ community & stakeholders to support human rights of LGBTQI+ persons," said Whitman.

She added: "The U.S. proudly advances efforts to protect LGBTQI+ persons from discrimination & violence and will continue to stand up for human rights & equality."

Whitman’s tweet comes barely two weeks after she distanced the US from accusations of promoting and forcing the LGBTQ agenda in the country following the Supreme Court ruling allowing the registration of lobby groups for LGBTQ persons in Kenya.

The ambassador denied any links between the Sh16 billion drought relief donations to Kenya by the US and the controversial Supreme Court verdict on same-sex rights.

“Countries have their differences, we have a very strong working relationship of many years and I think the Kenyan government probably knows the US perceptive, in fact I know they do, but we also respect Kenya’s rights on this particular issue,” she said.

“I want to underscore that there is absolutely no linkage at all between the food and drought relief and Kenyan’s stance on LGBTQ.”