NGO board vows to appeal pro-homosexual ruling

Kenya: The NGO Coordination Board will pursue all appeal options up to the Supreme Court to overturn a High Court ruling ordering it to register an association for homosexuals and lesbians.

The board said it has already appealed the High Court decision in the Court of Appeal.

“We have studied the law, the NGO Act, the Constitution and the ruling of the three judge bench and realised there are errors in the judgement,” said the board's Executive Director and CEO Fazul Mohamed.

He said the board believes the High Court erred in its judgement and that it “selectively chose to uphold the provision against discrimination but overlook those on national values.” Mohamed said:

“We appealed the ruling on Thursday because we believe it is defective. We are aware that the Constitution is clear that we should not discriminate but we don’t have a law on sexual orientation."

On April 27, judges Isaac Lenaola, Mumbi Ngugi and George Odunga ordered the board to register a gays’ lobby it had earlier rejected on moral and religious grounds.

Court reportedly ruled that the Constitution protects the rights of every person including the minority groups such as lesbians and gays.

Religious leaders have also criticised the ruling.