Tag: gay kenya

Gays flee Mombasa over public attacks

Hundreds of men who have sex with men at the Coast have moved away from major towns for fear of their lives. According to statistics by the Mtwapa Initiative for Positive Empowerment, an organisation working with MSMs in Mombasa and Kilifi counties, more than 200 of the men now avoid public health facilities. Mipe says… Read more »

African Anglican bishops warn Church of England to back off on gay issue

The leaders of the Anglican Church in Uganda and Kenya have warned the Church of England to back off on LGBTI issues after the Archbishop of Canterbury reminded them of their responsibility to support and care for gay people African bishops have reacted to Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s letter reminding them of their duty… Read more »

Writer Tells Africa What He Couldn’t Tell ‘Mum’

Nairobi, Kenya — When the Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina published his acclaimed memoir three years ago, he concealed an important part of his life from the public eye. Last Saturday, he unveiled “a lost chapter” of the book on the Internet titled, “I am a homosexual, mum.” The chapter, about missing the opportunity to tell… Read more »

Famous Kenyan author comes out as gay in birthday article

A prominent author in Kenya has come out as gay, in a country where homosexuality remains illegal. Binyavanga Wainaina made the announcement in an article for his 43rd birthday entitled: “I am a homosexual, mum.” “Nobody, nobody, ever in my life has heard this,” Mr Wainaina wrote in the article published first on the Africa… Read more »

10 clerics trained to handle gay people

Ten religious leaders yesterday graduated in a course on homosexuals. The leaders from the Muslim and Christian realm were among 35 graduates who completed a two-and-a-half-month training dubbed ‘Men who have Sex with Men sensitivity training’. The course was organised by the Kenya Medical Research Institute at Mtwapa Kemri centre in Mombasa. “The course is… Read more »

Gay men hacked with machetes and murdered in wave of hate crimes in Kenya

One man dies from attacks. Group points to fallout from discredited study on gays and blames religious extremists for whipping up hatred Gay men have been slashed with machetes and beaten with hammers in a series of hate attacks in Kenya which have already claimed at least one life. The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of… Read more »

Kenya’s gay movement seeks stamp of approval

The gay community is working day and night to transform itself from a fringe group to one that enjoys official legitimacy from the government and Kenyans in general. Today this community has found representation in legitimate government-run organisations formed to fight HIV, ostensibly to highlight the plight of homo sexual people afflicted by Aids. Experts… Read more »

Gay Somali refugees face death threats

Gay, lesbian and HIV-infected refugees fear violent persecution should they return home. Nairobi, Kenya – Gay, lesbian and HIV-infected refugees from Somalia are facing persecution – and even the threat of death – should they return home. Refugees have been under pressure to leave accommodations in Kenya, where many also face racist discrimination, after claims… Read more »

Men who walk on the wild side

They are not gay, they are not bisexual. They are just men who like to experiment with other men. What does this mean for you? David says he is looking forward to married life. In fact, the 32-year-old banker has been in a serious relationship for two years with a woman he fondly describes as… Read more »

Police shut down IDAHO gay march in Kenya

Police stop LGBT community from holding procession aimed at stopping homosexuality being a criminal offence Police in Kenya have stopped people marching through the capital Nairobi today (17 May) to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). A permit had been issued to allow Kenyan LGBTs and supporters to procession. But this morning police… Read more »

Feature: Emerging LGBTI Activists And Leaders In Kenya

Every Year, Identity Kenya will be putting out a list of Emerging LGBTI Activists and Leaders to honor the work and contribution these individuals have given for the movement and who continue to support, mobilize, petition and advocate for equality and non-discrimination in Kenya. According to Queer Watchtower who is in the selection panel, the… Read more »

Kenya – Blackmailers Flee As Police Hunt Intensifies

Blackmailers Targeting gay men have moved out of Nairobi and are located in Mombasa and Kisumu after police launched investigations in a bid to arrest them. According to the latest reports, the blackmailers who operate as a gang abandoned a house in Embakasi estate where they used as their center of operations to swindle and… Read more »

A Gay Kenyan’s Gang Rape (Part 1): The Blessing

On the morning of Dec. 11, 2007, Anthony Adero decided to leave his hometown forever and head to the capital, because he wanted to kiss a man for the first time in his life. He packed the few essentials needed for his five-hour trip, little things that carry weight, like family photographs and a prerecorded… Read more »

Kenya: To Fight HIV & AIDS, Recognise Sex Workers

This Year’s World Aids Day was observed under the theme: “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero Aids-related deaths”. The theme is a rallying call for greater access to treatment for all and for governments to act more decisively in putting in place policies that enhance prevention and behaviour change. Kenya has… Read more »

Kenya promises arrest of gay blackmailing gang

Nairobi police are urging gay people to come forward to aid investigations of a group known for extorting, and sometimes raping, gay men and women Police have promised to arrest the ringleaders of a notorious gang which targets closeted gay men for extortion, blackmail and rape. Speaking to gay activists, Nairobi police officer Akello Odhiambo… Read more »

Kenya’s first gay political candidate reveals why he quit race

Rights activists hail anti-poverty and Aids activist David Kuria as a pioneer despite aborted election campaign David Kuria was the first openly gay black person in Africa to run for political office outside South Africa. It was a brave campaign against the odds that will not have a Hollywood ending. But David Kuria, forced to… Read more »

Kenya: Rights Groups Hold Kenya’s First Gay and Lesbian Awards

Nairobi — The Kenya Human Rights Commission and the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission on Saturday launched the first gay and lesbian awards to honour lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexual and intersex people for their contributions to Kenyan society. The event, which was held at Charter Hall in Nairobi, saw politicians, employers and journalists… Read more »

Kenya celebrates positive contributions of LGBT people

Human rights groups in Kenya have joined together to celebrate the positive contributions of LGBT people and their allies to Kenyan society Kenya’s Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and National Gay and Lesbian Rights Commission (NGLHRC) have launched an annual awards ceremony to celebrate the contributions of LGBT people to Kenyan society and to celebrate allies… Read more »

I am Very Out and Confident…

“It’s been a long journey, a challenging journey, coming to terms with my sexuality. I was just starting to get comfortable with it when I was sexually abused, so it has been a difficult time in my life. “Around the time he was abused, four years ago, he also found out he was positive. “To… Read more »

Reasons for Withdrawing from the Kiambu Senate Race

Last evening I received a message from the most ardent of the supporters saying; “hi Senator Dave. I have done ma part which’s starting to turn sour coz of ua unavailability. Plz advice…” I just wondered how I could reply to that message. You see over the last couple of months, I have been promising… Read more »

Kenya political campaign puts gay taboo in spotlight

Kiambu, Kenya (Reuters) – An anti-poverty campaigner has become Kenya’s first openly gay man to run for political office, but David Kuria Mbote faces a challenging path as he tries to dispel taboos in the largely conservative Christian nation in a race for a senate seat. If elected to the Kenyan senate, Mbote, 40, would… Read more »

Hope For Trafficked Gay, Bisexual Men Lured Into Sex Slavery In Arab Gulf As Law Signed By Kibaki

A New law signed into law by President Kibaki promises to offer support and compensation to victims of trafficking including university gay men and bisexuals who were lured into sex slavery to Arab countries with promises of jobs. The Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act, which was signed into law by the President more than 18 months… Read more »

Uganda LGBT Activist, Kasha Jacqueline Bags Another Award

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, the Executive Director of Freedom and Roam Uganda, has been awarded the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award (NIHRA) of 2013. Kasha is a Ugandan LGBT rights activist. She is the founder and executive director of an LGBT rights organization called Freedom & Roam Uganda (FARUG) and the 2011 recipient of the Martin… Read more »

Kenya’s Gay Community: From ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to ‘Do Ask, Do Tell’

Change is here. If you want to see how progressive Kenya is on gay rights, visit Lodwar town in the north. In Lodwar, there is a group of gay men who have come together and formed a group. That pastoralists -already a minority group and gay nonetheless – could form a group and acquire office… Read more »

Interview: Kenyan Psychologist And LGBTI Clients – Part Two

This Is the final part of the interview with psychologist Susan Gitau on LGBTI and mental health. The first part of the interview is available here and was done to commemorate this years’ World Mental Health Day Q: About the stages of sexual development of LGBT persons and identities that you have explained above, can… Read more »

“Homosexuality, I can go for it even if it’s kissing” – Nairobi Half Life’s Olwenya Maina

There’s a gay scene on Nairobi Half Life. It’s already “out” there. So, when we were interviewing to members of the film’s cast, it was impossible to let them go without asking them about it. Check out a transcript of the conversation below. Ghafla!: “The film explores themes of homosexuality. You had interesting comments about… Read more »

The Invisible Bridge: Gay Men, Their Female Wives And HIV

Local TV station, K24, aired a feature on Sunday night of men in the lakeside town of Kisumu who were married to women but are homosexual in the continued coverage of HIV dynamics in Kenya. The feature The Invisible Bridge, which is a 3 part series will air at 9pm through to Tuesday and follows… Read more »

Meet David Kuria, Kenya’s Gay Senator Candidate

GSN interviews openly gay candidate, David Kuria, who will be running for the position of Senator in 2013, at Kenya’s Kiambu County David Kuria, an openly gay man, will be facing an election on March, 2013 for the position of Senator of Kenya’s Kiambu County. Kuria was the co-founder and general manager of the Gay… Read more »

Feature On Kenyan Lesbian Raped, Gives Birth, Now Living With HIV To Be Screened

Feature On Kenyan Lesbian Raped, Gives Birth, Now Living With HIV To Be Screened A feature on a lesbian who was raped and subsequently got pregnant and was infected with HIV is set for screening this evening at Internews Kenya at I&M Building, Kenyatta Avenue. The feature, titled, ‘I am Mary’ showcases the life of… Read more »

CJ Mutunga Reiterates Supreme Court Will Rule On Gay Rights As He Hits Out At Anti-Gay Lobbyists

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has given impetus to gay activists after saying that the Supreme Court will rule on the controversial issue of gay rights and abortion. Speaking in Washington during a visit, Mutunga said that courts would not be compromised and will ensure its independence will continue despite the Old Guard’s resistance to reform.… Read more »

Nairobi’s Unofficial ‘Official’ Gay Bar – Tacos – Closes After Boycott By Gays

Tacos bar, that was Nairobi’s unofficial ‘official’ gay bar is reported to have closed down and been sold after a boycott by gay patrons when the management barred LGBT members several months ago. The bar, that has long been a favorite for the LGBT community, is reputed to have suffered losses when the management ordered… Read more »

Parents, Helping A Gay Child Come Out

Thursday, Oct. 11, is National Coming-Out Day, an annual celebration of living openly for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Some people approach this particular square on the calendar with pride and courage, others with trepidation. Then there’s a third group, which gazes at the day with an uncomfortable blend of longing and… Read more »

Three Lesbians Beaten, Assaulted In Nairobi CBD

(UPDATED) Three lesbian women were reportedly assaulted last week on Thursday morning by persons known to them inside a lodging house in downtown Nairobi. The three women, it is alleged, had just spent a night together in the same bed and were chatting when two men – who are known to them – stormed into… Read more »

GALCK AGM 2012 – 31st August and 1st September, Nairobi.

Hello Kenyas LGBTI community, It is a great week, a marvelous week actually. It is the first week at the community centre since the 2012 Annual General Meeting. Walking into the GALCK centre one can sense an aura of newness, anticipation and excitement. It would be a lie if we did not mention the anxiety… Read more »

Kenya’s HIV Challenge: Easing Stigma For Gay Men

Health officials in Kenya say reducing the transmission of HIV among gay men is a central part of their national AIDS strategy. But they face serious challenges, including the fact that homosexuality is still a crime in the East African nation. HIV rates among gay and bisexual men in Kenya are far higher than the… Read more »

US Embassy in Nairobi Hosts Gay Pride Event

Nairobi – On Tuesday, the U.S. embassy in Kenya’s capital hosted a gay pride event, believed to be the first of its kind in the country. The event is as part of the Obama administration’s policy to fight prejudice against lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. On Tuesday morning the embassy presented what is… Read more »

Kenya: Bars introduce bans on LGBT customers

Several reports from Kenya indicate that bars and clubs in the country’s main cities are now enforcing a ban on LGBT people. Reports from Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa indicate that popular bars enforce a strict no-entry policy towards men who are judged to be ‘too effeminate or women seen as too masculine or butch’. Tacos… Read more »

The Road to Safety – Executive Summary

Strengthening Protection of LGBTI Refugees in Uganda and Kenya Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) refugees are often among the most vulnerable and isolated of refugees. This is especially true in places where they are at heightened risk due to violent attacks, discrimination, and laws that criminalize same-sex relations. In addition, in many countries… Read more »

Kenyan Clergy, Oppose Call By National Human Rights Commission To Legalise Homosexuality

Members of the clergy and some human rights activists in Kenya have raised their objections to recommendations last week that homosexuality be de-criminalised in the East African country. The recommendations are proposed in a report on safeguarding sexual and reproductive health rights. The report, launched on Thursday, is as a result of a public inquiry… Read more »

Kenya: Government watchdog backs repeal of laws against homosexuality and prostitution

The Kenya National Human Rights Commission has published a report calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality and prostitution in the east African state. The governmental Commission’s report on sexual and reproductive health rights was published this week, the Daily Nation reported, as a public inquiry came to an end. Gay offences in Kenya carry penalties… Read more »