There was a lot of expectation at Kenya’s high court on Friday morning as activists waited for a ruling on whether a law criminalising gay sex was unconstitutional.
The BBC’s Ferdinand Omondi was in the packed court room when a judge, Chacha Mwita, announced a postponement.
“The files are above my height… we are still working,” AFP reports him as saying.
Our reporter said the activists were not happy:
Disappointment for ?ï¸â€? LGBTQ community as court postpones ruling on decriminalizing gay sex to May 24th. Judge says they need more time. That was one packed courtroom. pic.twitter.com/Sb7nP6wBad
— FERDINAND OMONDI (@FerdyOmondi) February 22, 2019
Half the courtroom is Kenyan and international journalists & camerapeople. The other half is activists & other interested parties. Many holding hands & embracing, encouraging each other. Some NGOs that support #LGBTQI rights also represented. Tight security here today.
— Matina Stevis-Gridneff (@MatinaStevis) February 22, 2019
Some are upset about the postponement, but many are also using the news as an opportunity to say that they believe gay sex should remain illegal.