Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Kiva, Strathmore University, and Opus Dei: Another Reader Response, "We Don't Want Homosexuals and Homosexual Sympathisers Funding Africans"



See at the head of the posting the latest comment to come in as a response to my posting on Sunday about the decision of Kiva to partner with the Opus Dei school Strathmore in Kenya. Mr. Ndehi had already left the following statement several days ago at Kiva's website in response to the open letter of Kiva's co-founder and CEO Matt Flannery about the Kiva-Strathmore partnership (and he replicates the comment on this Kiva thread): 

I'm Protestant but I attended an Opus Dei high school for boys. It's by far the best high school in the world. Those against funding needy Kenyans should understand that we're getting $5bn from China for a new 951km (591 mile) railway line, and energy and conservation projects. Add the $10bn in annual tax revenues, new oil and gas finds, and then ask yourself how relevant you Kiva shylocks are.

What to make of all of this? On the one hand, Mr. Ndehi tells readers of my blog that "we" don't want homosexuals and homosexual sympathizers funding Africans. Leave us alone!

But several days ago at the Kiva website, he taunts those who are criticizing Kiva for partnering with an Opus Dei university by saying they're "shylocks," and if they don't give to Kenyans, they'd better know China will do so: so we Kenyans do want your money.

Matt Flannery's open letter states plainly, "I assure you, with no reservations, that the views  expressed [i.e., the anti-gay rhetoric of Strathmore's Opus Dei chaplain] do not reflect any of our beliefs or Kiva’s organizational values." This seems to place Kiva unambiguously on the side of the "homosexual sympathisers" whose money "we" Africans don't want, according to Mr. Ndehi.

So is Mr. Ndehi stating that he wants Kiva to stop funding the tuition of Strathmore students? 

Kiva seems to have a problem on its hands, due to its decision to partner with an Opus Dei enterprise.

And lest we be in any doubt about where Mr. Ndehi learned his toxic homophobia (or, at least, where his homophobia was certainly not challenged in any mind-broadening and heart-broadening educational way, he helpfully informs us that he's the product of an Opus Dei high school that is "by far the best high school in the world."

As I say, Kiva clearly has a problem on its hands, and that problem has everything in the world to do with the choice of Kiva to partner with an organization that runs schools that can graduate folks with views like those Mr. Ndehi expresses so freely. I won't begin to summarize for readers here the vile comments Mr. Ndehi has made at one website after another about LGBTI human beings. You can find themselves by googling his name and combinations like "homosexuals" and "faggots." 

Here's a sample from Twitter last August, when The Economist tweeted, "There are tenuous signs of growing acceptance of lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transsexual (LGBT) culture in Prague.}




Kiva has a problem on its hands. With friends like Mr. Ndehi defending their Strathmore partnership, what need do they have of enemies?

P.S. Please see this subsequent posting responding to further comments Mr. Ndehi has made here, and noting his connection to the notorious "Kill the Gays" Pastor Martin Ssempa of Uganda.

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