News Brief

Kenyans are Disappointed by the Postponement of the Ruling on the Decriminalization of Homosexuality

Today ought to have been a landmark ruling for the Kenyan LGBT community.

Kenyans were all eagerly anticipating the repealing of section 162 of Kenya's Penal Code which criminalizes homosexuality. However, the ruling has been postponed by the courts. Many Kenyans feel that the postponement only serves to highlight how unimportant the rights of the LGBT community are in the country.


Petitions 150 and 234 were brought before the Kenyan High Court last year and called for the repeal of section 162 and 165 which violate the constitutional rights to privacy, freedom of expression, the right to human dignity and freedom from discrimination. The ruling of these joint petitions, is what has been postponed.

Justice Chacha Mwita says the postponement is primarily due to having to go through volumes of documents which were presented to them manually. The court has asked that the ruling be delivered instead on the 24 of May.

Activists, Christian and Muslim organizations alike, the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) and Nyanza Rift Valley and Western Kenya Network (NYARWEK) are all in support of the petitions.

Kenyan poet and activist Shailja Patel, South African sexual reproductive rights advocate Dr TlalengMofokeng and Kenyan feminist Brenda Wambui are just some of the figures supporting the #repeal162 movement. Kenya is one of numerous African countries where homosexuality is still criminal.

This is what proponents of #repeal162 had to say on social media:







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Kenya's Supreme Court Sides With LGBTQ Rights Group in Decade-Long Legal Battle

Kenya's Supreme Court ruled that authorities where wrong for barring it's gay community from registering a gay rights organization.

The Kenya Supreme Court ruled that Kenyan authorities where wrong for barring its gay community from registering a gay rights organization on Friday, Feb. 24. In a three-to-two, the Judges decided that Kenya's Ngos Coordination Board (NGO board) should not have banned the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) from registering their organization in 2013. It should also be added that they affirmed gay sex is still illegal in the country.

According to the judgment, the board could not rightfully deny the NGLHRC agency the right to register because "it would be unconstitutional to limit the right to associate, through denial of registration of an association, purely on the basis of the sexual orientation of the applicants".

According to the NGO Board website, they are responsible for "inter alia registering, facilitating and coordinating all national and international NGOs operating in Kenya; advising the government on their contribution to national development; providing policy guidelines for NGOs to align their activities with national priorities and receiving and analyzing NGOs annual reports."

Because the Supreme Court is Kenya's highest court, its decision cannot be overturned.

The judgment ends a decade-long legal saga that was initiated in 2013, when when former executive director of the NGLHRC, Eric Gitari confronted the head of the NGO Board for turning him down when he tried to register an NGO under a pro-LGBTQ name. The 2023 ruling is not the first time that the judges have ruled in favor of the NGLHRC. In 2015, judges ruled in favor of Gitari and his team at Kenya's high court, and in 2019, the Court of Appeal also ruled in favor of the gay rights organization.

In spite of the ruling, there is an underlying bitter-sweetness for the Kenyan gay community, because the court still upholds that gay sex is criminal, and punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Kenya's gay community has experienced a lot of unrest over the past few years, and the recent murder of gay rights activist Edwin Chiloba heightened tensions for the gay community. The added weight of the legal consequences of same-sex relationships have further heightened homophobic sentiments.

In a statement to BBC News, NGLHRC's current director Njeri Gateru said that the decision was a victory for the gay community.

"The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the lower courts' rulings is a triumph for justice and human rights," said Gateru, "At a time where the Kenyan LGBTIQ+ community is decrying the increased targeting and violence; this decision affirms the spirit and intention of the Constitution to protect all Kenyans and guarantee their rights."

Photo Credit: Amazon

Watch the Trailer for 'Gangs of Lagos,' Amazon's First African Movie

Amazon's Gangs of Lagos will premiere on April 7th.

Nollywood is coming to Prime Video.

On Monday, the conglomerate announced that it would be releasing Gangs of Lagos, its first original African movie, on April 7th. The project, which is directed by renowned filmmaker Jáde Osiberu, features Nigerian stars like Tobi Bakare, Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Chike Osebuka, Chioma Chukwuka, and Iyabo Ojo.

The movie will follow the lives of a group of friends as they navigate the bustling streets of Lagos.

In a press release, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, head of Nigerian Originals at Prime Video, described the movie as a story that highlights the importance of friendship and family.

"Gangs of Lagos is a unique story about family and friendship, against the action-packed backdrop and striking set pieces of the streets of Lagos,” Mba-Uzoukwu said. “As the first Nigerian Original to launch on Prime Video, Gangs of Lagos sets the tone and standard, with the authentically Nigerian storyline in a genre that is so popular around the globe, making it a movie for our audiences at home and abroad.”

Gangs of Lagos - Official Teaser | Prime Video Naijawww.youtube.com

Located on the country's southwest coast, Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria. Over the years, the vibrant city has become known for its bustling economy, eclectic culture, and rich history. The crime drama promises to showcase the nitty gritty rumble and tumble of Lagos, as well as the authentic elements that make it one of the most renowned cities in the world.

Ned Mitchell, head of African and Middle East Originals, Prime Video said that with the roll out, Prime Video was hoping to connect with original voices.

“At Prime Video, we are looking to work with original voices to create spectacular stories and events that audiences can connect with wherever they may be,”

Mitchell said. "Gangs of Lagos launching will truly be a global cultural moment that marks the beginning of a new era in storytelling, where audiences everywhere can see the full power of Nigerian and African voices and the depths of our continued commitment to the local TV and film industry.”
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Photo by Miss Hibiscus for Getty Images

Mr. Beast and Charity In The Age Of Content

Trying to help the less fortunate in Africa can often be co-opted into commercial videos, images, and product-driven messages.

The story goes: the perfect recipe for a viral charity video in Africa is barren ground, unidentified shoeless Black children, conflicted mothers gazing off into the distance, a fly gliding over still puddles of gravel water, a white voice as an overlay, and a link to donate at the very end.

Charity and philanthropic pursuits have been part of human existence for centuries, from both a genuine human perspective and as a social and political tool to retain power and influence. As the ages pass, it might be high time to recentre the conversation about what our philanthropy looks like. When we’ve gone past the actual act of giving, what happens in and around that? For popular YouTubers, what was the process of producing the video?

For a rising politician, is there a conversation about using images of poverty-stricken communities to, yes, help, but also further an agenda?

Over the years, we have seen countless initiatives from large corporate organizations, small businesses, successful entrepreneurs, celebrities, and more recently influencers and content creators. The goal? To help people around the world. The vehicle? A photo album as evidence, a YouTube video, an Instagram reel, or some sort of visual documentation that goes beyond just the act of charity.

The common argument is that these assets could never be self-aggrandizing but are there to inspire others to either join in or make their own change. Whilst this is generally true, there is something to be said about the quality of messaging that self-proclaimed philanthropists create and maintain. What of the women, men, and children who are part and parcel of why these messages tug on the heartstrings of first-world viewers?

The following three videos are good examples of how a noble pursuit can easily devolve into something unrecognizable. Trying to help the less fortunate can often be co-opted into commercial videos, images, and product-driven messages, rather than about the dignity of the people being assisted in the first place.

Mr. Beast purchases 20,000 shoes for vulnerable South African school children

Giving 20,000 Shoes To Kids In Africayoutu.be

If you have the slightest interest in outrageous and dopamine-inducing YouTube videos, you’ve probably come across a Mr. Beast (Jimmy Donaldson) video. His titles are provocative and inviting enough for anyone to deep dive into the world of video content creation. “1000 Blind People See For The First Time,” “We Saved An Orphanage,” “We Built Wells In Africa” and “Giving 20, 000 Shoes To Kids In Africa.” If you’re interested in the well-being of humanity, these titles might drag you right to these videos. Whilst noble in pursuit, it might be time to continue asking questions.

In the “Giving 20, 000 Shoes To Kids In Africa” video, Beast Philanthropy heads to the Western Cape Province in South Africa to deliver school shoes to disadvantaged children. In partnership with the Barefoot No More organization based in South Africa, Beast Philanthropy was able to organize elaborate shoe handovers for nine different schools in the Western Cape. It can’t be argued that the children who received the school shoes were better for it, but the video itself as a mode of communication is marred with drips of hyperbole and mistruths that fracture the overall picture.

The voice-over remarks that children in South Africa often find themselves entirely shoeless and the day the Mr. Beast foundation arrived was the day many of the children received their “first pair of shoes ever.” The shots of barren land and dilapidated infrastructures harken back to the ‘right’ concoction of footage to garner sympathy from Western audiences.

The multiple close-up shots of shoeless school children leave the viewer to wonder what the process of consent from their parents and guardians was for their participation. If charity, specifically that which is directed towards African children, is the goal, then how they are represented in these videos should always be just as much of a concern.

The video has faced criticism online, with many expressing sentiments about the sensationalism of the video. To which Mr. Beast remarked on Twitter that “our charity owns this channel, I thought it’d be fun to use my fame to create a loop of helping. Film good deed, inspire millions of kids to do good, use revenue from good deed to do next good deed.” It must also be noted that Mr. Beast isn’t the first and won’t be the last to engage in this version of philanthropy.

How To Build A School In Africa With Jerry Rig Everything

How to Build a School in Africa?! - Thank YOU!!www.youtube.com

The video details the process from fundraising all the way to the construction of a school in Kenya. Zack and his wife Cambry are welcomed into the community with a warmth that isn’t uncommon in many close-knit African cities, villages, and urban areas. There’s a level of reverence, however, that the community seems to attach to the couple on their immediate arrival that elevates them to somewhat of a stately position.

The couple is gentle, thoughtful, and intentional in their interaction with the community and the documentation of school building provides an interesting perspective that not many see. Whilst the actions are commendable, what sticks out again in this video is the presence of Kenyan children in their numbers, teachers, and workers.

With the focus squarely on the couple, one almost forgets that the children and adults in the background are people and not props that go along with the sandy roads and lush terrain.

The content that comes along with this type of charity work often, whether intentionally or not, plays into the narratives of powerlessness and lack of agency in these communities that are often referred to by country or continent.

About Serving Orphans Worldwide

About Serving Orphans Worldwidewww.youtube.com

About one minute into this video the line — “the church is the solution to the orphan crisis” appears in the middle of the screen. The viewer sees elegant montages of children from different countries interacting with each other. A representative of Serving Orphans Worldwide remarks that in addition to assistance from their organization, they offer an opportunity for children to grow in their relationship with Christ.

Again we see a promotional video that’s extremely intentional with the messaging in the voice-over narration, choice of camera shots, and overall tone. The agenda is clear — to assist vulnerable children without families from across the globe, but also to promote a Christian message. Whilst it might be noble in intent, what does it mean to offer refuge that comes with subtle conditions?

Countless people around the world benefit from the charity of organizations, people, and leaders. At the same time, in a continent with hundreds of indigenous faiths, why are African children being pointed to faith as their way out of poverty? In a country like South Africa, why are townships being referred to as rural areas? How does an umbrella remark like, “these are their first pair of shoes ever,” make it into the final cut of the video?

Do we forego asking questions about the presence of a well-meaning white man in the building of a school just because he was part of financing it? To say there are only problems and that there’s nothing to be done might be the easy way out. It is possible for content creators and organizations who use video as their method of promotion for charity and philanthropy, to do it better.

When creating content for charity, the Devil is in the details

When you travel to countries in Africa, say their names in your video. If your beneficiaries struggle to speak English, get a translator, subtitle your video, and tell viewers what language they’re speaking. If you feel like you need dozens of children in your video, get consent from each and every one of their guardians — and if that doesn’t strike you as important, ask yourself why.

If you’re going to use a voice-over for narration, make sure that it’s accurate. When you’re filming shots and b-roll to support your video, think about whether you might be sensationalizing the content to pander to your audience at the cost of the people you’re trying to help. I’d like to think that poverty and displacement can never be a reason for anyone’s personal autonomy, dignity, and choice to be ignored.

In a world where content creation and philanthropy continue to intersect, the devil will always be in the details.

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