Why Nyanza Still Leads in Cases of Homosexual Prevalence

A new study has revealed that over several decades Nyanza still stands out among top in prevalence of homosexual tendencies.

Although Nairobi statistically has the highest number of confirmed men who have sex with men (MSMs) and women who have sex with other women (WSWs) it’s the sporadic growth of numbers in Nyanza that remains strikingly high.

According to the National Aids and STIs Control Programme (Nascop) in a report released in 2012, Nyanza was leading with 2,765 followed by Nairobi County with 1,702 and the coast region was third with 775.

Currently the figures in Kisumu and Siaya counties alone (without Homabay, Kisii and Migori) account for 3555 catalogued cases of men who have sex with other men, not factoring in women.

The Gates Open Research index updated on 19 July 2024 also indicates that Nyanza region still accounts for more than fifteen percent of the total number of homosexual men countrywide which stands at 32,580.

Health experts say these people are at a much higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections especially HIV and Aids.

“MSMs and WSWs change their sex partners at least three or four times a week. And this is feared to raise the number of people living with STIs especially HIV and Aids,” said Mary Kuria, the chairperson in the department of psychiatry at the University of Nairobi during a mental health symposium.

Lukoye Atwoli, who is a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer at Moi University’s School of Medicine told The Standard that MSMs and WSWs are very different from homosexuals because they only have the homosexual behaviour regardless of how they identify.

Homosexuality, on the other hand, is characterised by sexual attraction between members of the same sex and it is a cultural identity.

Kuria adds that most MSMs and WSWs are paid to have sex, saying that this sexual behaviour does not happen naturally.

“Sixty-eight per cent of the men who have sex with men are paid to do it and 62 per cent of women engaging in this activity are also paid to do it,” she said.

Senior medical lecturers and doctors have blamed the increase in poverty levels and unemployment in the country for the increased number of such tendencies.

They say those engaging in MSMs and WSWs are mostly unemployed Kenyan youths around the age of 26.

Men who have sex with other men develop strikingly feminine body shapes. Image used for illustration purposes only.

Studies by Nascop further reveal that the most significant clients of this group of people are married men and women who engage discreetly not to be noticed by their spouses.

With the advent of county governments and an influx of money flowing among the nouveau rich a number of new cases have been catalogued among the youth in Siaya and Kisumu.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that a certain Western power is also offering incentives and support to gay cliques particularly in Siaya.