Court lifts ban on controversial lesbian movie Rafiki

A high court judge has just ruled that Wanuri Kahui be allowed to submit her controversial Rafiki, an LGBT film, for an Academy Award, and that she be able to screen the film to willing adults over the next seven days.

The renowned film director and producer had taken KFCB to court for banning the movie ‘Rafiki’ due to what it termed as the promotion of lesbianism.

“Rafiki has homosexual scenes counter to the law, the culture and the moral values of the Kenyan people. It seeks to legitimize lesbian romance,” claimed the board.

On Friday, the ban was temporarily lifted by Judge Wilfrida Okwanny at the Milimani Law Courts who argued that ‘Gay theme or the practice of homosexuality did not begin with Rafiki.’

“I am not convinced that Kenya is such a weak society that its moral foundation will be shaken by seeing such a film,” added Judge Okwanny according to a tweet sent out by Tamerra Griffin, the East African correspondent for Buzz Feed.

She will now screen the movie for seven days which means she automatically qualifies to submit the movie for Oscar nominations.

In order to be eligible for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, a movie must have been shown in the country submitting it first, which in this case did not happen.