USA Africa Dialogue Series - Kenya's first gay political candidate reveals why he quit race

Kenya's first gay political candidate reveals why he quit race

Rights activists hail anti-poverty and Aids activist David Kuria as a
pioneer despite aborted election campaign

David Smith
David Smith, Africa correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 25 December 2012 16.59 GMT

It was a brave campaign against the odds that will not have a
Hollywood ending. But David Kuria, forced to withdraw from elections
in Kenya, has already smashed barriers as the country's first openly
gay politician.

Kuria dismayed his supporters when he announced that he could not
finish the senate race because of a lack of funds to cover logistics
and his personal security. He had received threatening text messages
saying he would bring "a curse to the land".

Yet, while he lost the battle, Kuria has won praise for moving the
needle in a country in which homosexuality is illegal and, the UN
noted last year, "largely considered to be taboo and repugnant to
[the] cultural values and morality".

The 40-year-old was the first openly gay black person in Africa to run
for political office outside South Africa, according to the
Kaleidoscope Trust, a non-profit organisation defending international
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. In the end, his
push for the senate seat in Kiambu county, near the capital, Nairobi,
never reached a critical mass. Declaring his withdrawal in late
November, Kuria explained that his online fundraising campaign had
achieved only about 4% of its target.

"It is one of the saddest decisions I have had to make during my years
working as a human rights activist," he told the Guardian. "I had seen
changes in the way our people in the villages view gay people. For
many people, gay people and gay rights are perceived though mediated
interpretation of politicians and religious leaders. For the first
time it was possible to talk with the people, answer their questions
as well as point out the nexus areas of different forms of
marginalisation, including poverty and other challenges that affect
them, too." There was plenty of opposition in Kenya's conservative
Christian heartlands. A cabinet minister, Moses Wetangula, warned of a
revolt if Kuria was elected, saying an openly gay man should not "have
an opportunity or privilege to lead a country that is founded on
religious morality".

The independent candidate was sent hostile text messages attempting to
blow him off course. "The messages were largely religious in nature:
they tended to have a note of desperation in them," said Kuria. "It is
like they had expected massive rejection by the people of our
candidature. When that did not happen, they threatened not just me but
also the people who would vote for me.

"They were of the opinion that if I continued with the campaign, I
would bring 'a curse to the land'. It sounded like it was important
for them to stop this from happening."

One of the financial burdens for Kuria was personal security, a
requirement for all candidates in Kenya's volatile political climate.
"We had created a narrative of being outsiders to the political system
and that narrative was beginning to build some serious traction – it
was even beginning to scare me somewhat," he admitted. "Naturally,
being a gay candidate, any threat could be explained of as being a
homophobic attack, hence the need for added security."

Under Kenyan law, homosexual acts are punishable by up to 14 years in
jail, though police say they would have to catch someone in the act to
prosecute. Denouncing gay people can be a vote winner. A 2011 survey
by the Kenya Human Rights Commission found that only 18% of LGBT
Kenyans had revealed their sexual orientation to their families; of
these, 89% were subsequently disowned.

But during his journey, Kuria, an anti-poverty and Aids activist,
gained an insight into another Kenya. "I think the narrative of Kenya
being a homophobic society is taken out of context," he said. "True,
many people do not approve of same-sex relationships, but that is
because of the stereotypes they have been made to believe in.

"I was getting invitations by many young families for their children's
birthday parties, or first masses for newly ordained priests in
Kiambu. Far too many people would show up even when we only wanted to
hold small meetings – that really does not look to me like a
homophobic society."

Homosexuality is outlawed in 36 African countries, with many leading
politicians describing gay people as "unafrican". Kuria said: "Again
that is one of those stories that have been told over and over again
that it has come to be seen as true. But there are also very few
public LGBT voices – these need to increase for the narrative to be
debunked."

After the disappointment of his abortive bid, Kuria doubts that he
will run for office again. "In the struggle for rights, some
individuals have to make sacrifices that can not be merely compensated
by the realisation of these rights," he reflected. "It often tends to
be important to know that one's efforts are also appreciated; in my
case, I expected broad-based ownership and support. It is hard to see
what new thing I can do to change that situation. I just think I was
not the right person for this."

Whatever he does in the future, Kuria is already an important pioneer
who made an impact, argues Ian Temple of the Kaleidoscope Trust, which
invited him to speak in the UK this year.

"He's a very inspirational and brave man who's willing to stand up and
be counted whereas generations of Kenyans have been forced to keep
their heads down," he said.

"We're inspired by his desire to enter public life as an LGBT person
in a country where to be gay is to risk being a social outcast. We
understand his reasons for pulling out and we know he's still
completely committed to positive social change and access to HIV
protection and treatment."

The website David Kuria for Senator is still active. Beside a picture
of the activist is a biblical quotation: "Silver or gold I do not
have, but what I have I give you."

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