Nandi Senator, Samson Cherargei, dismissed claims that US First lady Jill Biden's visit to the country was connected to the recent Supreme Court verdict on the Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Queers (LGBTQ) rights to association.
Cherargei, while speaking in the Senate on Thursday, March 2, insisted that Biden had not influenced the Supreme Court decision or pressured the government to champion LGBTQ rights.
Moreover, he dispelled reports that the US government donated Ksh16 billion after the ruling was made.
"There is the allegation that the Ksh15 billion given to the government to fight drought was courtesy to the verdict. I want to deny and confirm that it is not true," Cherargei clarified.
"The visit of Jill Biden is not connected with what is happening, and therefore, we oppose homosexuality in the country," he insisted.
Cherargei also lauded President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, declaring their stance on the LGBTQ debate. He argued that the two had demonstrated their statesmanship and willingness to protect the 2010 Constitution.
During the Women Fund launch on March 2 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Ruto indicated that Kenya had values that needed to be respected.
"I cannot allow our women to get competition from men who chase after men. That will not happen under my watch," the President stated.
Ruto added, "we have our culture and traditions, we respect our constitution and all our religions we can’t travel the road of women marrying women or men marrying men. This won’t happen in Kenya."
Gachagua, on the other hand, stated that he was shocked by Supreme Court's verdict regarding the LGBTQ ruling.
"We have no problem with the court but we have to ask what they imagine when a woman marries another woman. We do not have that and that is against our beliefs," Gachagua stated.
Meanwhile, the Ksh16 Senator Cherargei referred to, was an aid released by the Agency for International Development (USAID) to help 1.3 million people across Kenya fight drought and hunger.
USAID donated the funds after Jill Biden toured the North Eastern region and called for an immediate resolution to the residents' plight.
However, the Russian Embassy in Kenya warned of looming pressure from foreign countries after the LGBTQ ruling and advised Kenya to protect humanity's values.
"That is only the beginning, the West will come for more. Traditional values shall be protected. Otherwise, humanity is doomed," the embassy further advised.
