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| Police arrest five 'gay' Kenyans | Police arrest five 'gay' Kenyans |
| (5 days later) | |
| Police in Mtwapa, just north of the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa, say they have arrested five men whom they accuse of being homosexuals. | Police in Mtwapa, just north of the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa, say they have arrested five men whom they accuse of being homosexuals. |
| District officer George Matandura said two of the men had been found with wedding rings, attempting to get married, in Kikambala beach resort. | District officer George Matandura said two of the men had been found with wedding rings, attempting to get married, in Kikambala beach resort. |
| The other three men were handed to the police by members of the public; two of them had reportedly been beaten. | The other three men were handed to the police by members of the public; two of them had reportedly been beaten. |
| Homosexuality is illegal in Kenya but arrests are extremely rare. | Homosexuality is illegal in Kenya but arrests are extremely rare. |
| Crowds gathered outside the police station where the men were taken in protest at the presence of alleged homosexuals. | Crowds gathered outside the police station where the men were taken in protest at the presence of alleged homosexuals. |
| The wedding was reportedly due to take place at a private villa in the resort, but locals heard of the plans and alerted the police, who raided a house and arrested the men. | The wedding was reportedly due to take place at a private villa in the resort, but locals heard of the plans and alerted the police, who raided a house and arrested the men. |
| 'Repugnant' behaviour | 'Repugnant' behaviour |
| "We are grateful to the public for alerting the police. They should continue co-operating with the police to arrest more," Mr Matundura said. | "We are grateful to the public for alerting the police. They should continue co-operating with the police to arrest more," Mr Matundura said. |
| "It is an offence, an unnatural offence, and also their behaviour is repugnant to the morality of the people." | "It is an offence, an unnatural offence, and also their behaviour is repugnant to the morality of the people." |
| We shall use all means to curb this vice Sheikh Ali HusseinCouncil of Imams and Preachers | We shall use all means to curb this vice Sheikh Ali HusseinCouncil of Imams and Preachers |
| The district officer said the five, aged between 20 and 35, would "undergo a medical examination before we charge them with homosexuality," the AFP news agency reported. | The district officer said the five, aged between 20 and 35, would "undergo a medical examination before we charge them with homosexuality," the AFP news agency reported. |
| "We will move swiftly and close down bars which condone gays, lesbians, prostitution and drug abuse in their premises," Mr Matundura added. | "We will move swiftly and close down bars which condone gays, lesbians, prostitution and drug abuse in their premises," Mr Matundura added. |
| A member of a Kenyan gay rights organisation condemned the arrests and said it had appealed to the Human Rights Commission to step in. | A member of a Kenyan gay rights organisation condemned the arrests and said it had appealed to the Human Rights Commission to step in. |
| But the marriage allegedly planned was condemned by Muslim and Christian clerics. | But the marriage allegedly planned was condemned by Muslim and Christian clerics. |
| "We cannot allow these young boys to ruin their future through homosexuality," Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya told AFP. | "We cannot allow these young boys to ruin their future through homosexuality," Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya told AFP. |
| "We shall use all means to curb this vice." | "We shall use all means to curb this vice." |
| Bishop Lawrence Chai, of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, said: "This is immoral and we shall not allow it, especially here in Mtwapa." | Bishop Lawrence Chai, of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, said: "This is immoral and we shall not allow it, especially here in Mtwapa." |
| The five men are due to appear in court soon. | The five men are due to appear in court soon. |
| Media coverage | Media coverage |
| On Thursday, two other men abandoned their plans to get married at a seaside villa in the same area after local authorities complained. | On Thursday, two other men abandoned their plans to get married at a seaside villa in the same area after local authorities complained. |
| The couple and their guests fled the coastal city when word spread that the police, government officers and members of the public were looking for them. | The couple and their guests fled the coastal city when word spread that the police, government officers and members of the public were looking for them. |
| Homosexual behaviour is illegal in many African countries. | |
| Four months ago, a Kenyan gay couple became civil partners in a ceremony in London - an event which received wide media coverage inside Kenya. |
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