Story highlights "Rafiki," a movie about love between two women, has been banned in Kenya

The film board said the movie intends to promote lesbianism in the country

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) A movie about love between two women has been banned in Kenya, ahead of its premiere at international film festival Cannes.

Kenya's Film and Classification Board (KFCB) said Thursday "Rafiki" was banned because of intent to "promote lesbianism," in the country.

"The film has been restricted due to its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law," a statement from the board said.

It added that the film should not be distributed or shown anywhere in the country and anyone found with a copy would be in breach of the law.

Kenyan actors Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva at Cannes Film Festival.

Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu, who directed the movie, took to Twitter to express her disappointment, saying,"We believe adult Kenyans are mature and discerning enough to watch local content but their right has been denied." </s> Kenya Film Classification Board says anyone in possession of the film, Rafiki, would be found in breach of Kenya's law

The first Kenyan film to debut at the Cannes Film Festival has been banned in Kenya due to its lesbian storyline.

The film Rafiki, which means "friend" in Swahili, traces the love story between two young women.

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) said the film "seeks to legitimize lesbian romance".

KFCB warned that anyone found in possession of the film would be in breach of the law in Kenya, where gay sex is punishable by 14 years.

The film's director Wanuri Kahiu wrote on Twitter that she believed "adults in Kenya had been denied the right to discern the content they want to watch".

"I'm really disappointed because Kenyans already have access to watch films that have LGBT content, on Netflix, and in international films shown in Kenya and permitted by the classification board itself," she told Reuters.

The film, which will be shown in Cannes next month, is adapted from the 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story, Jambula Tree, by Ugandan writer Monica Arac Nyeko.

It follows two close friends, Kena and Ziki, who eventually fall in love despite their families being on opposing sides of the political divide.

The ban has been criticised by the film's supporters on social media, as well as Kenya's National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC).

The commission used the hashtag, #KFCBbansLesbianFilm, in a tweet announcing the ban. The hashtag sparked a number of supportive tweets from Kenyans who criticised homosexuality.

The KFCB banned several American children's programmes last year, including The Legend of Korra and Hey Arnold, stating that they showed "disturbing content glorifying homosexual behavior".

In 2014, it banned the Oscar-winning film Wolf of Wall Street for its "extreme scenes of nudity, sex, debauchery, hedonism and cursing" and in 2016 it forced Coca-Cola to scrap a kissing scene in a television advert because it "violated family values". </s> NAIROBI, Kenya — “Rafiki,” a Kenyan film, is headed to the Cannes Film Festival. But even though festival-goers in the south of France will have the chance to see the film, people in Kenya will not. Kenya has banned its first feature film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, accusing it of having “clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law.”

Director Wanuri Kahiu said she is “incredibly sorry” to confirm the ban of “Rafiki,” or “Friend” in Swahili, by the Kenya Film Classification Board. Her film depicts a love story between two women.

In Kenya, gay sex faces up to 14 years in prison. Many countries across Africa have laws against homosexuality, with people facing severe harassment and physical threats. Gay rights are “not of any major importance” in Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta told CNN in an interview earlier this month.

“I think that there are discerning audiences not only in Kenya but the entire world that are able to judge what’s good and bad and it’s not what’s defined by the Kenya Film Classification board,” the film’s director told The Associated Press. She said she has tried to have the film classified for viewers 18 and above.

“It’s limiting freedom expression of artists in the country and hence the growth of the industry,” she added.

Kahiu has said in earlier interviews she had been nervous about the film’s reception in Kenya but found support from government authorities and the local film industry.

But on Friday, the film board accused producers of changing the original script that was licensed for production and said it “shall pursue the legal means to hold them accountable.” The original script didn’t have romantic scenes between the female actors, the board said.

“It is our considered view that the moral of the story in this film is to legitimize lesbianism in Kenya,” the board’s statement said. “Any attempt to introduce and normalize homosexuality in Kenya flies in the face of the law and the constitution and must be resisted.”

The board said it met with the director earlier this month and asked her to edit out the film’s “offensive” parts. On Wednesday, the director instead told the board to go ahead and make a ruling, it said.

Kenyan gay rights activists quickly raised an outcry, while the Cannes festival shared Kahiu’s comments on Twitter. “Rafiki” debuts at the festival next month.

Kenya’s National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission pointed out that the film board’s CEO, Ezekiel Mutua, praised “Rafiki” earlier this month to local radio station Hot 96 FM, calling it “a story about the realities of our time” and “the issues of homosexuality.”

In those comments, Mutua said authorities wanted to avoid “a situation where it is nominated and we are not celebrating it here.”

The film’s ban comes as Kenya’s High Court has begun hearing arguments in a case that challenges parts of the penal code seen as targeting the LGBT community. The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission argues that the sections are in breach of the constitution and deny basic rights by criminalizing consensual same-sex relations between adults.

Kenyatta told CNN that the laws are supported by “99 percent” of the Kenyan people.

The court on Monday is expected to announce a date for its ruling. </s> NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has banned its first feature film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, saying it has “clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law.”

Director Wanuri Kahiu said she is “incredibly sorry” to confirm the ban of “Rafiki,” or “Friend” in Swahili, by the Kenya Film Classification Board. Her film depicts a love story between two women.

In Kenya, gay sex faces up to 14 years in prison. Many countries across Africa have laws against homosexuality, with people facing severe harassment and physical threats.

The director has said in interviews she had been nervous about the film’s reception in Kenya but found support from government authorities and the local film industry.

But on Friday morning, the film board accused producers of changing the original script that was licensed for production and said it “shall pursue the legal means to hold them accountable.” The original script didn’t have romantic scenes between the female actors, the board said.

“It is our considered view that the moral of the story in this film is to legitimize lesbianism in Kenya,” the board’s statement said. “Any attempt to introduce and normalize homosexuality in Kenya flies in the face of the law and the constitution and must be resisted.”

The statement said the board met with the director earlier this month and asked her to edit out the film’s “offensive” parts. On Wednesday, the director told the board to go ahead and make a ruling, it said.

Kenyan gay rights activists have quickly raised an outcry, while the Cannes festival shared Kahiu’s comments on Twitter.

The film’s ban comes as Kenya’s High Court has begun hearing arguments in a case that challenges parts of the penal code seen as targeting the LGBT community. The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission argues that the sections are in breach of the constitution and deny basic rights by criminalizing consensual same-sex relations between adults. </s> Kenya has banned its first feature film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, accusing it of having "clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law".

Director Wanuri Kahiu said she was "incredibly sorry" to confirm the ban of Rafiki, or "Friend" in Swahili, by the Kenya Film Classification Board. Her film depicts a love story between two women.

In Kenya, gay sex attracts a prison sentence of up to 14 years. Many countries across Africa have laws against homosexuality, with people facing severe harassment and physical threats.

"We believe adult Kenyans are mature and discerning enough to watch local content but their right has been denied," Ms Kahiu said on Twitter.

The director has said in interviews she had been nervous about the film's reception in Kenya but found support from government authorities and the local film industry.

But on Friday, the film board accused producers of changing the original script that was licensed for production and said it "shall pursue the legal means to hold them accountable". The original script did not have romantic scenes between the female actors, the board said.

"It is our considered view that the moral of the story in this film is to legitimise lesbianism in Kenya," the board's statement said.

The board said it met the director earlier this month and asked her to edit out the film's "offensive" parts. On Wednesday, she told the board to go ahead and make a ruling, it said.

Kenyan gay rights activists quickly raised an outcry, while the Cannes festival shared Ms Kahiu's comments on Twitter. Rafiki debuts at the festival next month.

The film's ban comes as Kenya's High Court has begun hearing arguments in a case that challenges parts of the penal code seen as targeting the LGBT community.

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission argues that the sections are in breach of the constitution and deny basic rights by criminalising consensual same-sex relations between adults.

The court on Monday is expected to announce a date for its ruling. </s> NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan authorities have banned a film that tells the love story of two women on the grounds that it promotes lesbianism but activists said the ban would only promote interest in the movie.

“Rafiki”, a word that means friend in KiSwahili, was this week invited to premiere at next month’s Cannes Film festival — the first Kenyan film to receive such an invite.

The Kenya Film Classification Board announced the ban on Friday and said in a tweet: “Anyone found in its possession will be in breach of law”, referring to a colonial-era Kenyan law under which gay sex is punishable by 14 years in jail.

Board spokeswoman Nelly Muluka tweeted: “Our culture and laws recognize family as the basic unit of society. “The (board) cannot, therefore, allow lesbian content to be accessed by children in Kenya.”

Film director Wanuri Kahiu said: “I’m really disappointed because Kenyans already have access to watch films that have LGBT content, on Netflix, and in international films shown in Kenya and permitted by the classification board itself.”

“So to then just ban a Kenyan film because it deals with something already happening in society just seems like a contradiction,” she told Reuters.

The ban represents a reversal by the board whose head, Ezekiel Mutua, praised the film earlier this month.

“It is a story about the realities of our time and the challenges that our kids are facing especially with their sexuality,” he said on privately-owned HOT 96 FM radio.

Homosexuality is taboo across Africa and people who are gay face discrimination or persecution. In recent years, however, campaigners for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights have become increasingly vocal.

“It’s appalling, it’s a shame ... Kenyans will view the film whether it has been banned or not, they will find a way to view it,” Lorna Dias, a lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights activist, told Reuters.

“In fact, Ezekiel Mutua has probably created enough of a platform to make even the least interested people curious.”

The ban coincides with a landmark case brought by gay rights campaigners to repeal Kenya’s law on gay sex on the grounds that it deprives sexual minorities of basic rights.

The film is adapted from an award-winning short story “Jambula Tree” by Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko.

The film board used a hashtag, #KFCBbansLesbianFilm, that immediately sparked a barrage of supportive tweets from Kenyans who decried homosexuality. In 2015, the board banned the film “Fifty Shades of Grey”. </s> NAIROBI – Kenyan authorities have banned a film that tells the love story of two women and is set to debut at Cannes Film Festival next month, saying it promotes lesbianism.

The film Rafiki, a word that means friend in KiSwahili, was this week invited to premiere at the prestigious festival in France -- the first Kenyan film to receive to be invited.

On Friday, the Kenya Film Classification Board said it had banned the film.

"Anyone found in its possession will be in breach of law," the board said in a tweet, referring to a colonial-era Kenyan law under which gay sex is punishable by 14 years in jail.

Board spokeswoman Nelly Muluka tweeted: "Our culture and laws recognize family as the basic unit of society. "The (board) cannot, therefore, allow lesbian content to be accessed by children in Kenya."

Film director Wanuri Kahiu said: "I'm really disappointed because Kenyans already have access to watch films that have LGBT content, on Netflix, and in international films shown in Kenya and permitted by the classification board itself."

"So to then just ban a Kenyan film because it deals with something already happening in society just seems like a contradiction," she told Reuters.

Homosexuality is taboo across Africa and people who are gay face discrimination or persecution. In recent years, however, campaigners for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights have become increasingly vocal.

The ban coincides with a landmark case brought by gay rights campaigners to repeal Kenya's law on gay sex on the grounds that it deprives sexual minorities of basic rights.

The film is adapted from an award-winning short story Jambula Tree by Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko.

The film commission used a hashtag, #KFCBbansLesbianFilm, that immediately sparked a barrage of supportive tweets from Kenyans who decried homosexuality. </s> Kenya's High Court on Friday declined to decriminalize same-sex relations, which can carry a prison sentence of up to 14 years, a decision that came as a blow to the LGBT+ community in the East African nation.

Three judges unanimously upheld article 162 and 165 of Kenya's penal code.

"The petitioners have failed to prove that the provisions are discriminatory. There is no evidence to show that the petitioners were discriminated and their rights violated as they sought healthcare," judge Chaca Mwita told the press.

The High Court judges said the two articles in question did not apply exclusively to the LGBT community and that anyone found in breach of the law in that regard could be punished.

The articles in question are a hangover from British colonial rule in Kenya and deem sodomy and same-sex acts a crime against nature.

The lawsuit was originally brought before Kenya's judiciary back in 2016 by pro-LGBT+ rights groups who argued the laws were dated, discriminatory, fueled homophobia and contradicted the constitution, which says all people are equal in the eyes of the law.

Article 162, which pertains to acts "against nature" can carry a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.

The ruling was originally slated to take place on Feb. 22 but was postponed last minute due to the unanticipated workload on the case, according to Mwita.

The complainants now have the option to bring the case to the Supreme Court, the highest rung of judicial power in Kenya. However, once there, the case could take years to conclude.

In 2018, Kenyan authorities banned the screening of the film "Rafiki," a lesbian romance film, and the country's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, has previously said gay rights were a "non-issue" in the country.

Some 28 of the 49 sub-Saharan nations criminalize homosexual relations. Gay people in countries like Sudan or northern Nigeria can even face the death penalty for their sexuality, although these punishments are rarely enforced.

Countries like Angola, Mozambique and Seychelles do not criminalize homosexuality while countries like Chad and Uganda have recently tried to strengthen laws against it. EFE-EPA </s> The Kenyan High Court today ruled that colonial-era laws criminalising same-sex relations are constitutional.

Currently the laws allow for up to fourteen years jail for anal sex and five years for non-penetrative sex.

The petitioners asked the court to declare the laws unconstitutional.

In rejecting the petition, Justice Roselyne Aburili dismissed judgments in favour of law reform in other Commonwealth countries. She said Kenya should make its own laws to reflect its own culture.

Justice Aburili also accused same sex couples living together of violating the constitution. She claimed there was no scientific proof that LGBT people were “born that way”.

Téa Braun, director of the Human Dignity Trust, described the decision as ‘regressive’.

“This is a huge setback for human rights in Kenya. All Kenyan citizens are guaranteed human dignity, equality before the law and freedom from discrimination under the 2010 Constitution,” he said.

“Yet in handing down this disappointing judgment, the court has ruled that a certain sector of society is undeserving of those rights.

“The ruling sends a dangerous signal to the other 72 countries where citizens are made ‘criminals’ simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Despite laws against homosexuality, Kenya is a beacon of tolerance compared to other countries in the region.

Uganda just a few years ago considered the death penalty for homosexuality.

After a previously more tolerant attitude, Tanzania last year announced a crack-down on LGBTIQ communities.

LGBTIQ people from those and other neighbouring countries move to Kenya as the safest regional option.

The British introduced laws against ‘unnatural offences’ in the 1930s during their time as the colonial power in Kenya. Ironically anti LGBTIQ conservatives now often portray the laws as defending ‘African values’.

Sadly, over recent decades, the scope of the law extended to include the penalisation of lesbianism. The original British laws made no mention of lesbianism.

However, in recent years, Kenyan courts showed increase tolerance towards LGBTIQ causes.

In 2014 the High Court allowed a transgender group to register as an NGO, and in 2015 made a similar ruling for the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

Last year the court ruled to allow a one week screening of Rafiki, a Kenyan made lesbian film, in Nairobi. Without a local screening, producers of the film could not nominate it for an Academy Award.

Also, in 2018, the Mombasa Court of Appeal outlawed forced anal examination of people accused of same-sex activity.

President Uhuru Kenyatta repeatedly states that homosexuality is a ‘non-issue’ in Kenya, but his government takes no active steps against the LGBTIQ communities.

Opposition to reform comes mainly from religious groups and individual politicians.

Increased media commentary of LGBTIQ issues and visibility of LGBTIQ individuals led to hope for reform in the country.

QN Magazine | For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The Kenya Film Classification Board bans the lesbian romance film Rafiki saying it intends to "promote lesbianism".