Julie, a 32-year-old transgender woman, fled her home in Uganda after surviving a brutal attack incited by her own family. Her house was set ablaze in April 2018, and she narrowly escaped through the back door. She sought safety in Kenya, hoping to rebuild her life at the Kakuma refugee camp, where many LGBTQ asylum seekers had found refuge.
Initially, Julie felt safe and accepted. But seven years later, she is still waiting for her asylum application to be approved, with no clear path forward. Her story is not unique. Kenya has become a fragile refuge for many queer Ugandans fleeing persecution, especially after Uganda passed the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposes life sentences and even the death penalty for same-sex relations and “aggravated homosexuality.”
Zuri, a transgender woman and former LGBTQ rights advocate in Uganda, found herself targeted under this new law. After a violent attack at her home, she fled to Nairobi and found temporary shelter in a safe house run by Nature, a community of queer asylum seekers. But even in Kenya, safety is not guaranteed.
Zuri fears Kenya could follow Uganda’s path. A new Protection of the Family Bill is expected to be debated in Parliament. If passed, it could criminalize same-sex relationships with sentences of up to 30 years and promote public reporting of LGBTQ individuals.
Resources are also stretched thin. Humanitarian funding cuts have left shelters like Nature’s unable to pay rent, risking eviction. Healthcare access is increasingly limited, and the overall environment is becoming more hostile.
Some, driven by desperation, have turned to smugglers. According to the Refugee Coalition of East Africa, over 200 LGBTQ asylum seekers left Kenya for South Sudan, lured by false promises of faster asylum processing. Many paid up to $1,000 only to face even worse conditions and no resettlement opportunities. Jeremy, one such individual, returned to Kakuma without his travel permit, finding himself even more restricted.
In 2021, Kenya was praised by the UN for being the only East African country offering asylum to people persecuted for their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, that same year, asylum processing shifted from the UN to the Kenyan government, which reportedly stopped accepting claims based on those grounds. Now, thousands of queer refugees, many from Uganda, remain in limbo. Without official refugee status, they cannot legally work, rent homes, or open bank accounts.
Champagne, a 26-year-old transgender woman, shared the discrimination she faces during her asylum interviews. “They tell me to repent and never come back,” she said. She, like many others, is emotionally drained and losing hope.
By Risper Akinyi
