I am not gay, asserts Dr Mutunga

BY CAPITAL NEWSTEAM

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null 1/1 CJ nominee Dr Willy Mutunga/FILE NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 7 - Dr Willy Munyoki Mutunga has now come out categorically to state that he is not gay, following widespread speculation over why he spots an ear stud. The nominee for the position of Chief Justice appeared before a panel of parliamentarians on Tuesday and said that he spots the stud as part of his religion and wanted his right to wear it protected as would the rights of Catholics to wear a rosary. "Let me say it straight out, I am not gay.  And having said that, let me say also I do not discriminate against gay people. That will be my straight answer," he said in response to a direct question by Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire. He told the MPs panel that he was ready to respond to all manner of questions including the most personal:  “The Kamba have a saying that when you go for circumcision, you go naked and I am happy to answer these personal questions.  We are in era where leaders are being held accountable so I am cool with that.” Dr Mutunga, who turns 65 next week Thursday, holds doctorate degree from the Osgoode Law School in Toronto appeared before the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee a day after religious leaders gave views before the same panel and tore into his moral character, arguing that he was not fit to hold such an office. He told the MPs that for most of his childhood, he practiced the Kamba tradition religion.  “As a Protestant, at the age of 10, I was baptized and given the name William.  I later became a Roman Catholic and I was baptized and confirmed as William Jacob.  As a Muslim I my name is Wali Mohammed.  I am a man of all faiths," he said. He said he had been to synagogues, shrines and other places of prayer and that he believed in the Supreme Being:  “In fact, when Professor John Mbiti talks of Africans being notoriously religious, I am a specimen of that.” Dr Mutunga who has a pending divorce case in court also said he had not been involved in any cases of domestic violence.  “When you look at the divorce petition; there are no allegations that I have been involved in violence,” he said in his response. He added:  “I have not been adversely associated with practices that depict bias, favouritism or nepotism in the discharge of duties.” He told the committee that in the year 2010, his sources of income were from his current employer - the Ford Foundation - and his legal firm.  “This amounted to Sh17,954,540 gross and Sh501,817 net respectively.   Income from same sources between January and May this year from my foundation salary was $44,373 (Sh3.8m) net and my legal firm Sh2.3m gross.” He said he had no deferred income and the only future benefits he expects are from his employer, the Ford Foundation.  “These benefits include pension and investments that amount to about $380,000 (Sh33.25m) before taxation,” Dr Mutunga added. He added that he has an apartment in Westlands valued Sh20m, pension and investments worth $380,000 (Sh33.25m) before taxation, savings of $40,000 (Sh3.5m) and land in Kitui worth about Sh2m. He said he had applied for the job as a matter of national service and not the perks:  “If I get the job, I will only have five years to ensure there is a reformed judiciary in this country." Dr Mutunga previously worked for the Kenya Human Rights Commission.  Before that he practiced law from 1984 to 1998.  “Before my private practice,  taught law at the University of Nairobi between 1974 and 1982 when I lost a job when I was detained.”

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