Private legal practitioner and human rights advocate Martin Kpebu has explained why he has largely stayed away from the public debate surrounding efforts to criminalise homosexuality and its promotion in Ghana.
Speaking in a recent interview on TV3, Kpebu said his reluctance to take a leading role in the discussion stems partly from the fact that many LGBTQ individuals he knows, including some prominent lawyers, have chosen not to publicly identify themselves despite the ongoing controversy.
According to him, he has represented LGBTQ persons in the course of his legal career and believes that every individual is entitled to legal protection regardless of their sexual orientation.
“I’ve represented LGBTQ people over the years. I’m a lawyer, and the fact that a person is LGBTQ doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have rights,” he said.
Kpebu recalled supporting members of the LGBTQ community during a gathering held in Accra a few years ago, noting that he and some of his colleagues attended the event in solidarity.
However, he indicated that he has not been particularly vocal on the issue because many of the people directly affected are unwilling to publicly advocate for themselves due to fears of stigma and discrimination.
“I’ve not been very vocal in this debate because I’ve been consistent from day one. Some of them say they are scared and don’t want to pay the price of stigma. If you’re the one in the situation and you don’t want to pay any price, then I can’t also grind my credibility to ashes,” he stated.
The lawyer further disclosed that he personally knows successful professionals, including prominent lawyers, who are members of the LGBTQ community but have chosen to remain silent.
“I keep saying there are some of them privately we know who are very successful lawyers. At that stage in life, if you’re not willing to show your face as a poster child, then it becomes difficult,” he said.
Kpebu argued that if more LGBTQ individuals publicly shared their experiences, it could help generate understanding and compassion among the wider public.
His comments come after Parliament, on May 29, 2026, passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, for a second time.
The bill, which now awaits presidential assent, seeks to criminalise same-sex sexual relations, same-sex marriage, and activities deemed to promote or advocate LGBTQ identities. Individuals found guilty under the proposed law could face prison terms of up to three years.
