A new study has found Kenya could lose up to Ksh1 trillion if a bill proposed by Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma to tighten the laws against homosexuality passes. According to the study released by Open for Business, East African economies spend as much as $5 billion (about Ksh646 billion in the current exchange rate) a year due to the rising discrimination against LGBTQ people. The study found that even without the proposed bill, Kenya already faces annual economic losses of up to Ksh201 billion ($1.5 billion) due to LGBTQ+ discrimination. President William Ruto has consistently expressed opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, emphasising that such orientations are incompatible with Kenya's cultural and religious values.
However, his government is paying the price, according to the new study.
The ongoing costs stemming from reduced national productivity have been estimated to be between Ksh8.8 and Ksh22 billion, higher public health expenses between Ksh39.8 and Ksh179.3 billion, and the financial burden of anti-LGBTQ+ policing to be hovering around Ksh16 and Ksh31.9 billion.
President William Ruto waving to a crowd in Nairobi during his county development tour on Thursday, March 13.
