Anti-gay protesters in Nairaboi, the capital of Kenya marched on Monday warning US President Barack Obama against speaking about gay rights when he visits the country of his ancestors later this month.
The march was organised by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, a coalition of several churches.
“We do not want Obama and Obama, we do not want Michelle and Michelle,” they chanted. “We want Obama and Michelle and we want a child!”
The demonstration drew around 100 people, wearing T-shirts and waving posters with the slogan “Protect The Family”.
“It is important for us as Kenyans to know that the US is not God,” said protest organizer and evangelical Christian pastor Bishop Mark Kariuki.
Kariuki said Obama was welcome to visit “his father’s home” but should not “talk about the gay issue.”
It came a day after Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto, who is on trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague accused of crimes against humanity, told worshippers at a church service that homosexuality was “against the plan” of God.
“We have heard that in the US they have allowed gay relations and other dirty things,” Ruto said, according to the Daily Nation newspaper.
“I want to say as a Christian leader that we will defend our country Kenya, we will stand for our faith and our country.”
Homophobia is prevalent in many African countries and gay sex remains illegal in several nations, including Kenya and Nigeria.
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