They say love conquers all – and in Kenya recently that was certainly the case when an eight-year ban on a film about a lesbian couple was finally lifted. Rafiki tells the heartfelt story of two Kenyan teens whose friendship evolves into first love. Celebrated worldwide, the film couldn’t be shown at home after officials banned it in 2018 under Kenya’s laws criminalizing homosexuality. That is until the Court of Appeal ruled that the ban was unreasonable. Now, after years of persistence from its creators, Rafiki has secured a long-awaited victory for artistic freedom.
Britain has finally said ‘cheerio’ to the last 92 unelected lawmakers who inherit seats by birth. These hereditary peers in the House of Lords – all white men from Britain’s archaic aristocracy – have long been seen as an unhappy hangover from the days of feudalism. But getting rid of them has proved challenging. Around 90 per cent were purged by Tony Blair in the 1990s, but a small group clung on. Now, new legislation will bring that chapter to a close, scrapping their seats later this year. A few however have managed to wangle staying put until they choose to retire – and so the fight goes on.
