ANITA NDERU, CHIKI KURUKA & MAKENA NJERI CONDEMN BRUTAL KILLING OF LGBTQ+ ACTIVIST EDWIN CHILOBA

Kenyan celebrities took to social media to condemn the brutal murder of LGBTQ+ activist Edwin Chiloba whose body was found stuffed inside a metallic box in Uasin Gishu County.

Media personality Anita Nderu, urged LGBTQ allies to come forward and speak out against what is morally wrong, “I have spent the night figuring out what to say, and still I have no words. To say this is heartbreaking is obvious. To say this is sick is an understatement. One thing I know in my heart is hate doesn’t win, love does. Edwin lived with love, in an environment surrounded by hate. I pray for justice. I urge allies to come forward and speak out against what is morally wrong. To my friends in the community, I can’t imagine how you feel. I am sure that every loss feels like a personal threat. I am so incredibly sorry. 

These words aren’t enough, and don’t even scratch the surface of my depth of feeling about this. But we need to make sure Edwin didn’t die in vain. That the senseless killings will not define the lives of the many lost from the LGBTQ+ communities in Kenya, on the continent and across the world. Anyone who condones murder has no ability to preach to anyone.  RIP king. The fight for justice, legislative change, security and love continues with you in spirit. 

If anyone met you or spoke to you what they would probably say is that you were light and love. Edwin the news of your brutal death sent chills down my spine. You didn’t deserve that pain, you didn’t deserve to die. This is a hate crime. It has homophobia written all over it and it sickens me that this is how we start this year. Yet another tragic loss for the queer community in Kenya , a country we should call home. I mourn you so hard my friend.”

Bold Network founder Makena Njeri, remembered the moments she shared with him, “I will forever remember the moments we shared and the conversations we had. You had so much love to share with the world Edwin. I am in pain, I am numb. I cry for your closest friends and family who experienced your love even closer may they find peace in this moment. How many queer people have to die for this to stop? When will our government stop seeing us as a Non Issue and put up laws that protect all of us from such hate crimes? How many people do we have to bury for this nation to stop and listen to queer people. Edwin you fought so hard, loudly and boldly for the many that we lost. We will fight for you. Rest easy my friend, rest now Angel.

I will not stop saying their names. Erica ( 2021), Sheila ( 2022) Edwin ( 2023) and these are just a few. To the politicians that stand with us please walk with us Boldy, to the allys that support us please talk about this loudly, to the companies, organizations and government bodies that feel our pain please stand with us. We need to put an end to all this queer suffering. Repeal 162 this is not a law it’s a weapon to murder innocent queer people. Rest in paradise . Forever our icon.”

Choreographer Chiki Kuruka, said she is worried for all her friends in the LGBTQ+ community, “When I saw a post on my timeline about @its_edwinchiloba ‘s brutal murder, my immediate thought was no! This can’t be! Please let this be a hoax! Then I checked the news and it was true. I am heartbroken and devastated. Seeing the comments under the posts highlighting his death are so alarming. We are headed down a very alarming trajectory as a society.

How many more members of the LGBTQ+ community have to be murdered before Kenyans realise that your silence empowers the homophobic, it empowers them to act unlawfully and with impunity. Refusing to address and legalise the rights of the community leaves room for all sorts of injustice to take place. Refusing to educate yourselves or the public on what the LGBTQ+ community is really about leads to tons of misinformation spreading and allows for archaic thinking to influence decision making.

The community is so much more than just sexual preferences which is all most of you seem to focus on. They are human beings with family, friends, lives that they live, contributions to society, hopes & dreams. As a society we cannot possibly allow human beings to be murdered because who they are biologically makes you uncomfortable.

What is it exactly about someone being gay that makes it hard for you to live your own life & allow them to live theirs?

We differ on so many things but we find ways to cope, why are you putting an end to someone’s life? I am so worried for all my friends in the community, I can’t believe that I am even saying this but please watch your back, be careful, I pray for your safety, I pray for a more open minded society, I pray for justice to be served. I pray for each and every one of you. My deepest condolences to the Chiloba family and his loved ones.

This is an incredibly sad ending to a promising future. May his death and the death of all members we hear & not hear about not be in vain but be a wake up call. He posted on the 7th of November a post with this image captioned “If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that cannot be erased RIP Edwin. Soar with the angels #JusticeforEdwinChiloba.”