Kenya “stone the gays” bill officially thrown out

A proposal that called for stoning gay people to death in Kenya has been rejected by the country’s parliament.

Daily Nation reported on Monday that the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee threw out the draft law proposed by the Republican Liberty Party.

“The committee does not agree with the petitioner’s proposed legislation as it is unnecessary. Article 45 of the Constitution adequately safeguards and protects family values,” the committee said in a report tabled in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

Article 45 of the Kenyan constitution defines marriage as only being possible between a man and a woman. Same-sex consensual sex among adults is also already illegal in Kenya, with punishment of between five to 14 years imprisonment.

“These provisions adequately protect the family values that apply in our democracy,” the committee added.

The proposal was first submitted in 2014 and would have sent any Kenyan citizen found guilty of having gay sex to prison for life.

Any foreigner found guilty of the same offence would have been stoned to death in public and anyone found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality” would also be stoned to death in public.

While it was reported in August 2014 that the committee had thrown out the bill, it is believed that its rejection has now been made formal.

Disturbingly, however, the committee noted that the bill could still be brought to the upper house of parliament, the Senate.

“The petitioner is, however, at liberty to approach any willing member or committee of the House to sponsor the proposed legislation on his behalf,” it said.