GEC visits Kenya to amplify LGBT+ political participation campaigns
By Sheriff Mothopeng, Programmes Officer for Africa and Commonwealth
The Global Equality Caucus has met with lawmakers and civil society activists in Kenya on an official country visit as part of our expanding engagement programme in East & Southern Africa.
The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, galck+, and the Initiative for Equality and Non-Discrimination invited GEC’s Africa Programmes Officer Sheriff Mothopeng to a two-day meeting to review and validate the Queering the Ballot II report and accompanying strategy. This initiative aims to strengthen LGBT+ political participation and governance in Kenya.
The report and strategy are designed to empower LGBT+ individuals and allies to participate fully in Kenya’s political landscape. The focus areas include mobilising LGBT+ voters and leaders to engage in democratic processes and elections, advocating for policies that protect and uplift diverse communities, countering anti-gender rhetoric and political exclusion, and building coalitions with progressive allies to strengthen movement power.
The report’s analysis examined barriers to participation, including legal, sociopolitical, and cultural challenges, and assessed the extent to which the electoral framework facilitates or impedes LGBT+ inclusion. This report captures key reflections, achievements, and lessons learned from Queering the Ballot I, alongside strategic recommendations for future advocacy efforts.
Deeper engagement in a difficult region for LGBT+ rights
Having pioneered a legislative engagement programme in Southern Africa for the past two years, GEC is working with key policymakers in East Africa to expand and deepen our outreach across the continent, at a time where restrictive laws threaten a wider rollback of rights.
The visit to Kenya aimed to identify, engage, and collaborate with parliamentarians supportive of inclusive policies and improved equalities legislation. Among the pro-human rights legislators GEC engaged with in Nairobi was Senator Crystal Asige, a renowned advocate for diversity and inclusion, and a Senate member of the 13th Kenyan Parliament representing persons with disabilities and special interest groups.
Following the successful renewal of the SOGIE UN Independent Expert mandate, with Kenya among the states voting in favour, Senator Asige highlighted there is still political will in the country to support international accountability on human rights. This renewal underscores the international community’s commitment to documenting and addressing human rights violations against LGBT+ people.
A recent study by Open for Business revealed that East African economies lose as much as 5 billion USD annually due to repressive laws and political exclusion of LGBT+ people. Even without the anti-LGBT+ bill currently under consideration, Kenya faces economic losses of up to Ksh201 billion (1.5 billion USD) each year due to the wider discriminatory legal landscape.
Despite this, there is rising resistance and pushback against advances in LGBT+ rights even in countries where same-sex relationships are legal. However, some states continue to protect and recognise LGBT+ individuals, creating pathways for community engagement in democratic processes. GEC is optimistic that there are opportunities for future dialogue in Kenya on these issues.
The importance of legislative action
The LGBT+ community in Kenya has demonstrated a strong track record of pushing boundaries to ensure meaningful and equal participation, representation, and inclusion within democratic processes. Community participation, from youth, LGBT+, persons living with disabilities, and other marginalised groups, is crucial for a healthy democracy, fostering legitimacy, accountability, and responsiveness in governance.
We look forward to continuing our strategic dialogue with legislators in Kenya and supporting their work in bringing visibility to LGBT+ issues, with a view to securing long-term equality through inclusive legislation.