NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 25 – The directive by the Vatican to have catholic clerics preside over same sex marriages has continued to spark debates across the country.
Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale who was speaking in his Kakamega backyard Sunday called on Catholic faithfuls to ignore the directive even as he welcomed the decision by Nairobi’s artchbishop Philip Anyolo that has since prohibited Nairobi-based clergy from blessing same-sex couple unions.
“We must refuse the homosexualuty issues.We are Africans.Do not accept to be in a church that upholds marriages that go against the teachings of the Bible,” said Khalwale.
He urgued that the directive by the pope was against the doctrines of the Bible and a threat to the moral fabrics of that hold Africans together.
His statement comes barely a day after Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria slamed the pope over his directive,while welcoming Anyolo’s directive emphasizing that Anyolo’s stand represents the Roman Catholic Church in the country.
Kuria maintained that Kenya will never accept same-sex couples.
“The decision by Archbishop Amyolo on blessing of same sex couples is the position of all of us from the Roman Catholic Church in Kenya. We will never accept same sex couples in the Kenyan Church, with utmost and profound respect and reverence to the Pope,” he said.
Anyolo Sunday defied the order by Pope Francis to bless the union of same-sex couples saying any such activity would be scandalous to the faith.
In a statement to all Catholic churches under the Archdiocese of Nairobi, Archbishop Anyolo clarified that the declaration goes against the Word of God, the teaching of the Church and African Cultural Traditions.
“All Clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi are prohibited from blessing irregular relationships, unions, or same sex couples. Any form of blessing of same-sex unions and activities would go against God’s word, the teaching of the church,” he said.
