Earlier this week, as his fourth official visit to Africa approached, the president held a celebration at the White House to commemorate a 10-year renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, “to help our African partners unleash the enormous potential of their continent while simultaneously growing new markets and opportunities for our own businesses, investors and entrepreneurs.”
Some assumed there was a direct relationship between the renewal of AGOA and the president’s trip; that is, he would speak with Africa’s leaders about trade and entrepreneurship. President Obama still seems to be riding the high on the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, though, and chose instead to encourage Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta to address the treatment of gays in his country.
On Kenyan mistreatment of gays, Pres Obama says "the State should not discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) July 25, 2015
On gay rights in Kenya, POTUS: "when a government gets in the habit of treating people differently those habits can spread."
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 25, 2015
"I'm unequivocal on this," says @POTUS, that gays should not be treated differently from other people in Kenya.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) July 25, 2015
Kenyetta responded that gay rights really isn’t high on his agenda right now.
On gay rights, Kenyatta dodges criticism, disagrees w POTUS: "For Kenyans today the issue of gay rights today is really a non-issue."
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 25, 2015
Pres Kenyatta says gay rights is "really not an issue" for the Kenyan people. It's "not foremost on the minds" of the people of Kenya.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) July 25, 2015
"When we have tackled all our pressing issues maybe we'll turn our attention to gay rights but for now it's a non issue" Pres Uhuru Kenyatta
— Mohammed Adow (@Moadow) July 25, 2015
Kenyatta on gay rights: Kenya and U.S. Share so many values but there are some things we must admit we don't share
— Tómi Ọládipọ̀ (@Tomi_Oladipo) July 25, 2015
Pres Kenyatta responds on gay rights: it's a NON ISSUE. There are things our culture does NOT ACCEPT. Wow. #CNNAfrica
— Michelle Kosinski (@MichLKosinski) July 25, 2015
President Kenyatta on gay rights: we must accept that there are things that our cultures do not accept and such cant be imposed on people.
— Grace Githaiga (@ggithaiga) July 25, 2015
So what happened to the 5,000 naked men and women greeting President Obama to protest his “open and aggressive support” for homosexuality by showing him explicitly the difference between men and women? They didn’t, uh, show, being assured by President Kenyetta that gay rights was not on President Obama’s agenda.
"That is a non-issue to (our) people and it is definitely not on our agenda" -Kenya President Kenyatta on gay rights ahead of Obama visit
— Paul C Nwabuikwu (@paul_nwabuikwu) July 21, 2015
Kenyan President Uhuru #Kenyatta says he will not discuss the #gayrights issue with #Obama http://t.co/NBX5ZtNqdI
— Charisma News (@charisma_news) July 21, 2015
Kenya anti-gay group "postpones" naked protest bc Kenyatta said homosexuality not an issue on Obama visit. No such promise from White House.
— Heidi Vogt (@HeidiVogt) July 22, 2015
Oh, and it turns out there was a Global Entrepreneurship Summit after all:
Obama at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. pic.twitter.com/bjBtBLqwqp
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) July 25, 2015
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