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| Barack Obama tells African states to abandon anti-gay discrimination | Barack Obama tells African states to abandon anti-gay discrimination |
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| President Barack Obama, commenting on gay rights during his visit to Kenya, the land of his father, said his message across Africa was that states should not discriminate against people based on sexual orientation. | President Barack Obama, commenting on gay rights during his visit to Kenya, the land of his father, said his message across Africa was that states should not discriminate against people based on sexual orientation. |
| Related: Barack Obama visits Kenya - in pictures | Related: Barack Obama visits Kenya - in pictures |
| Obama told a lengthy joint news conference with his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, on Saturday that treating people differently eroded freedom and then “bad things happen”. | Obama told a lengthy joint news conference with his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, on Saturday that treating people differently eroded freedom and then “bad things happen”. |
| “That’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen,” Obama said. “When a government gets in the habit of treating people differently, those habits can spread.” | “That’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen,” Obama said. “When a government gets in the habit of treating people differently, those habits can spread.” |
| A number of Kenyan politicians and religious leaders had warned Obama in outspoken terms that any overtures on gay rights would not be welcomed in Kenya, where gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. | A number of Kenyan politicians and religious leaders had warned Obama in outspoken terms that any overtures on gay rights would not be welcomed in Kenya, where gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. |
| Kenyatta said Kenya and the US shared many values but not on all issues, saying gay rights was not an issue for his people and adding that it was very difficult to impose beliefs on people that they did not accept. He said his government wanted to focus elsewhere. Deputy President William Ruto said in May that there was “no room” for gays in Kenya. | Kenyatta said Kenya and the US shared many values but not on all issues, saying gay rights was not an issue for his people and adding that it was very difficult to impose beliefs on people that they did not accept. He said his government wanted to focus elsewhere. Deputy President William Ruto said in May that there was “no room” for gays in Kenya. |
| Obama has hailed the recent US supreme court decision that allowed same-sex marriage in all 50 US states. | Obama has hailed the recent US supreme court decision that allowed same-sex marriage in all 50 US states. |
| Obama and Kenyatta covered a number of issues in the press conference. On combatting terrorism, Obama said the two countries needed to work together more closely against the Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab, including through increased intelligence sharing. | |
| Al-Shabaab carried out the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi in which at least 67 people were killed and more than 170 were injured. | Al-Shabaab carried out the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi in which at least 67 people were killed and more than 170 were injured. |
| “This is an existential fight for us,” Kenyatta said. | “This is an existential fight for us,” Kenyatta said. |
| Obama said he was encouraged by statements Kenyatta has made about the need to root out corruption in the country, saying that was one issue that could slow down Kenya’s economic growth and development. | Obama said he was encouraged by statements Kenyatta has made about the need to root out corruption in the country, saying that was one issue that could slow down Kenya’s economic growth and development. |
| Related: Terror in Westgate mall: the full story of the attacks that devastated Kenya | Related: Terror in Westgate mall: the full story of the attacks that devastated Kenya |
| Still, he noted the US had concerns about violence that erupted in Kenya after its 2007 election. Kenyatta faced charges related to that violence in the International Criminal Court, though those charges were later dropped. Ruto, however, still faces charges at the ICC. | Still, he noted the US had concerns about violence that erupted in Kenya after its 2007 election. Kenyatta faced charges related to that violence in the International Criminal Court, though those charges were later dropped. Ruto, however, still faces charges at the ICC. |
| Obama also acknowledged that some Kenyans have been frustrated that it took him until the seventh year of his presidency to visit. The president joked that he didn’t want the rest of Africa to think he was “playing favourites”. He will also visit Ethiopia. | Obama also acknowledged that some Kenyans have been frustrated that it took him until the seventh year of his presidency to visit. The president joked that he didn’t want the rest of Africa to think he was “playing favourites”. He will also visit Ethiopia. |
| The two leaders had opened their day-long meetings with a joint appearance at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, a US-sponsored business conference. Obama announced $1bn in commitments from the US government, as well as American banks, foundations and philanthropists. | The two leaders had opened their day-long meetings with a joint appearance at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, a US-sponsored business conference. Obama announced $1bn in commitments from the US government, as well as American banks, foundations and philanthropists. |
| “Africa is on the move,” he declared. | “Africa is on the move,” he declared. |