The Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (PEFA) has condemned people who practice same-sex relationships terming it unnatural, retrogressive and immoral.
In a joint statement, the PEFA Church National Executive Council of Kenya denounced the recent Supreme Court ruling okaying the association of people who practice same-sex relationships.
“We do strongly oppose and dissociate from the judgment which legalized LGBTQI association and affirm our church’s solidarity with other faith-based organizations over the matter,” they said.
In a statement signed and read by the Presiding Bishop John Odhiambo Okinda and General Secretary Bishop Dr Toms Tembo Chip on Tuesday, they stressed that the Supreme Court of Kenya (SCOK) doesn’t have the mandate to set the societal norms as they are clearly set by the authoritative word of God which the PEFA church scribes to and defends.
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Espousing the PEFA church’s constitution on marriage and values, the council emphasized that Article 3 highly values the Holy Scriptures, the inherently inspired word of God, for instructions in living a godly life.
Speaking during a press conference held in PEFA Church in Kisumu, the council pointed out that they believe in the holy matrimony between male and female adults and in the sanctity of marriage according to Leviticus 18:22.
“And this is in line with the Kenyan Constitution Article 45 Section 2 which states that every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex, based on the free consent of the parties,” the council said.
Further, the Council considers same-sex relationships illegal and punishable by the Kenyan Penal Code Section 62 and 65.
In their view, the legitimization of the National Gay and Lesbian Rights Association will automatically open up a floodgate to lesbianism, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, pornography, and other sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex.
“We dare say that this ruling will give rise to their criminal organizations and religious fundamentalists leading to insecurity, breakdown of our moral fabric and registration of other illegal groupings e.g., mungiki,” the council reiterated.
The council revealed that its more than 2 million PEFA church members, and 4,000 learning institutions (Primary and Tertiary), are saddened by the Chief Justice Martha Koome-led SCOK ruling because they have deviated from the biblical law, African tradition norms and the natural law of the animal kingdom.
On February 23 SCOK ruled that the government’s refusal to register the lobby group National Gay and lesbian rights will violate their constitutional rights. Two SCOK judges Mohammed Ibrahim and William Ouko dissented from their rulings.
The ruling has triggered a nationwide uproar with various religious, political and labour leaders slamming the SCOK.
The Council has called upon President William Ruto and the National Assembly to stand with the Kenyan Society and the church in guiding on the LGBTQ rights issues
