Theresa May Issues Apology for Britain's Role in LGBT Discrimination

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday stated that she deeply regretted her country's role in criminalising same-sex relations in its former colonies, Kenya being one of them.

The Prime Minister maintained that such laws, passed under British rule which were still in effect, were "wrong then and wrong now".

"Across the world, discriminatory laws made many years ago continue to affect the lives of many people, criminalising same-sex relations and failing to protect women and girls," May stated.

"I am all too aware that these laws were often put in place by my own country. They were wrong then and they are wrong now," she added.

[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May"][/caption]

May was speaking at a meeting of the Commonwealth summit where different counties petitioned Britain to apologise for colonial-era laws.

The petition launched by campaigners who demanded that Britain apologise for outlawing same-sex activity in 37 of the 53 member nations.

During the week-long Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which got underway on Monday, the campaigners further noted that some of the penalties for such laws included death.

"As United Kingdom's Prime Minister I deeply regret both the fact that such laws were introduced and the legacy of discrimination violence and even death that persists today," May stated.

May was speaking at a meeting of the Commonwealth, a network of 53 mostly former-British colonies which London is looking to as a way to project Britain's influence around the world after it leaves the European Union in 2019.

[caption caption="Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May"][/caption]

The UK Prime Minister's words came at a time when President Uhuru Kenyatta is in London where he will deliver an address at Chatham House and showcase Kenya’s achievements in making economic growth inclusive.

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