Ruto Risks Losing Ksh4.2 Trillion if Anti-LGBTQ Bill Passes
If the anti-LGBTQ measure is enacted, Kenya risks losing approximately Ksh4.2 trillion in development aid from the United States and Europe.
In an economic assessment study report sent to PoliticalPulseChat, attorney and economist Fred Ogola cautioned against enacting the Family Protection Bill that Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma introduced to the legislature.
The law proposed by Kaluma would criminalize homosexuality and same-sex marriages. If enacted, it will make illegal the promotion, recruitment, and funding of homosexuality and LGBTQ individuals.
“It is my submission that President Ruto should sign these bills into law only if he has a concrete plan of where he is going to get the Ksh4.186 trillion,” Ogola warned in a statement.
According to the economic assessment study conducted by Trailblazers Business Strategies under the direction of the attorney, the criminalization of LGBTQ individuals would have a profound effect on bilateral relations between Kenya and European nations.
“Kenya depends a lot on foreign donors, especially the EU and USA. These donors have given pre-conditions for their continuous support, and one of their conditions – unfortunately, – is support for the LQBTQ which is presented as equal protection and non-discrimination of each individual irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc…”
“Violating any of these conditions may lead to withholding of financial support. Therefore, if the bill is signed into law, Kenya must be ready to lose around Ksh4.186 trillion,” Ogola warned.
The attorney argued further that the government should be prepared to spend Ksh11 billion if the measure passes, as the funds will be used to train law enforcement officers.
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It will also incur the cost of ensuring that the criminal justice system can accommodate the social and economic rights of those deemed to violate the new LGBTQ laws.
Ogola provided a comprehensive list of the financial perks the country would lose if the law was enacted. This includes EU humanitarian funding, Ksh148 billion approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Kenya in July 2023, Ksh81 billion approved by the IMF to support Kenya’s efforts to build resilience to climate change, and Ksh238 million given by the EU in 2023 for disaster preparedness.
He explained the remainder of the sum as follows: The United States provides tangible benefits of Ksh446.7 billion per year to Kenya’s economy and development. Kenya receives Ksh446.7 million per year in humanitarian aid from the United States (the amount Kenya received in 2022), and Ksh713.2 billion from the European Union under the Joint Cooperation Strategy 2018-2022.
However, it remains unclear whether Kaluma’s measure will be enacted, given that the Supreme Court of Kenya ordered the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Board to approve the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission’s (NGLHRC) registration in February of this year.
Even though homosexuality is prohibited in Kenya, the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ members still have the right to associate.
Ruto Risks Losing Ksh4.2 Trillion if Anti-LGBTQ Bill Passes
