KENYAN GAYS DEMAND PROTECTION FOLLOWING LESBIAN BASH

By Lesego Tlhwale (BTM Intern)

NAIROBI – 24 April 2009: The gay community in Kenya is demanding justice, protection and that government takes into serious account, increasing threats and attacks of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) people in that country.

This comes come after a brutal attack of a lesbian in one of Nairobi’s prominent nightclubs, Madhouse, by a woman unknown to the victim, violence which the country’s gay community says was clearly motivated by homophobia.

On Saturday18 April, *Priscila Namba and a friend were leaving Madhouse when, as they were walking towards the exit of the club, a woman shouted out behind them “Ma lesbians (you lesbians).”

Namba turned around to address the woman and they got into a verbal confrontation, which it ended up with the woman attacking and hitting Namba with a bag.

The situation later got out of hand when Namba followed the woman into the club to further confront her about the incident.” I found that the woman was being hidden in the changing rooms by the bouncers and when I asked why they were hiding her I was manhandled, that is when the woman hit me with a bottle across the face”, Namba said.

Bleeding heavily Namba was driven to Central Police Station with her friend, also followed by the two bouncers who earlier tried to help the perpetrator escape but failed because of interventions by patrons of the establishment and taxi drivers.

Namba who suffered a serious injury in the head was later admitted at Nairobi Hospital while the woman who attacked her was arrested.

It is however not clear at present what charges she is facing. 

“This attack was clearly motivated by homophobia and there should be no mistaking that it was not a hate crime. We the LGBTIQ community, organizations working for queer rights, women’s rights, human rights defenders and allies are making it clear that we will not just stand to be assaulted and discriminated against”, said Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), Minority women in Action (MWA), GayKenya and Ishtar MSM in a joint statement.

The organisations further petitioned the police to apprehend the two bouncers involved.

“We appeal to the police and government to take immediate action to administer justice and to that show that they will not condone violence against women, particularly against queer and trans-women.”

They further urged civil society and government to take a stand against hate crimes on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex, queer and questioning people (LGBTTIQQ).

“From as far back as 1997 and probably even before that, there has been organising concerning LGBTI rights in Kenya. Times have changed and one can only hope that Kenya recognizes the change in the times and the need to adapt to such change”, a gay rights activist in Nairobi said.

She added “The queer movement is much more visible now than it was years back and thus demanding provision of rights in acknowledgement of that visibility for Kenya as a diverse nation is important.”

Regarding the plan of action these gay organisations said “we aim to use the judicial system, regional and international covenants on human rights whilst actively creating awareness amongst people on issues around sexual orientation and gender identity, to try and shift societal consciousness on violence, discrimination and human rights.”

Meanwhile messages of solidarity from likeminded organisations in different countries of Africa are being sent the gay community in Kenya encouraging them to claim their space in society and to fight for their rights.

Kenya still criminalizes same sex intimacies with the existence of a sodomy law, and according to gay rights activists in Nairobi, is a very religious society using such justifications to condemn discriminate and violate LGBTIQ persons.”

Section 162 to 165 of its Penal Code criminalises homosexual behavior and carries a penalty of 5 to 14 years imprisonment.

Efforts to contact the Madhouse Club were fruitless.

* Not her real name.