Nairobi, February 19: Muslim and Christian residents of Mtwapa, a district in the outskirts of the port city of Mombassa, recently joined hands in disrupting a planned nuptial involving two local tribesmen on the ground of being completely an alien practice in their largely conservative community.
“It is just something that we used to hear about and it never occurred to the back of my mind that it will happen here in Africa,” Mustapha Said, a Muslim resident.
Two men had wanted to make their wedding ceremony public but in vain.
Local Muslim and Christian communities who reside in the small coastal town went on rampage to disrupt the ceremony.
The two men, whose identities have not been revealed, were taken into custody after the controversial incident.
“We are really worried for our future and we don’t want Africa to embrace an alien practice like homosexuality,” said Maymuna Salim, a 26-year-old Muslim woman.
The faltered gay wedding ceremony would have been the first public same-sex marriage in the East African country.
Homosexuality is legally prohibited in Kenya and statutes which date back to the colonial period provide for prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Africa has put a strong resistance for same-sex marriages on grounds of religion, belief and conscience.
In 2006, South Africa became the first in Africa, and fifth in the world, to legalize same-sex marriage.
But defiant Africa remains one of the most homophobic places in the world.
Mrs. Salma Juma, 27, insisted that same-sex marriage was against the nature of man.
“God has created men to provide sexual pleasure to women, what we are seeing is a complete diversion from decency,” she maintained.
“If men start marrying themselves who will marry the daughters of our land?”
The controversial gay marriage plan has created some religious unity.
“That can never be practiced in our society,” insists John Njuguna, a 39-year-old Christian, told.
“What we are telling the westerners who are propagating immorality in our land is to respect our diversity of culture. We want to be true to our African culture.”
Both Christian and Muslim religious leaders have denounced the controversial nuptial as a violation of the natural sanctity of marriages.
“We thank God for saving this town from being turned to Sodom and Gomorra of this era,” said Bishop Laurence Chai, an official of the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
In Christianity and Islam the two cities were destroyed by God for the vice and sexual deviation committed by their inhabitants.
They have since become synonymous with impenitent sin.
“We may be on the verge of being doomed had these criminals managed to conduct their evil exercise within our neighborhood,” said Bishop Chai.
Sheikh Hussein Ali, a regional coordinator with the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, also criticized the gay marriage plan.
“We are ready to shed our bloods to protect the dignity of Mtwapa town and we want our people to rise up against the vice.”
–Agencies–