Gay Kenyan Rugby Player Kenneth Macharia Detained, Faces Deportation from the UK
A gay Kenyan man living in the United Kingdom is facing deportation back to the country after his application for asylum was rejected by British authorities.
Kenneth Macharia, a rugby player with Bristol Bisons team has been detained by British authorities pending deportation to Kenya.
Bristol Bisons is an inclusive gay friendly English rugby union club based in Bristol, United Kingdom.
Ken, who has been residing in Shepton Mallet, Somerset had applied for asylum citing fears of "persecution and violence in Kenya because he is gay".
The British Home Office has however turned down his request, arguing that Kenya is a safe country for homosexuals.
Kenneth has lived in the UK since 2009 and got employed through his work visa before joining Bristol Bisons RFC in 2015.
The LGBT team members have backed Macharia's claim for asylum and want authorities to stop the deportation noting that the Kenyan is an integral part of the team.
"His commitment to the ethos of rugby and inclusive gay rugby is second to none. We are at risk of losing one of the herd," the team says.
“A wholehearted thank you to everyone who has reached out and helped to spread the news about Ken. We are still working furiously on the situation, so we shall keep you posted.”
BBC reports that Macharia is being detained at the Colnbrook immigration center, near Heathrow Airport.
“Ken has been one of the nicest characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. His happy go lucky manner is infectious around other people and smile is one that lights up the clubhouse."
“Ken represents everything we stand for as an inclusive club. To think of what he is going through and the almost certain persecution he is facing if sent back to Kenya is horrific and no person should ever have to face this."
“Ken is a valued member or our team and the Bristol community. We need to do all we can to help Ken and make the Home office realise this is not OK.”
Bristol Bisons manager, Lee Penfold says: “As well as joining us on the pitch, Ken is a trusted first aider and comes to our aid when we need it, so it is only right and fitting that we come to his too.
“We believe his safety and wellbeing is in grave risk if his deportation were to go ahead and we stand by him and support him in his desire to make a life for himself alongside his friends and teammates here in the United Kingdom."
“Ken is an integral part of our rugby family. His commitment to the ethos of rugby and inclusive gay rugby is second to none. We are at risk of losing one of the herd,” adds Penfold.
Comments (23)
Let him stay there, tha's where he belongs
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It's BLATANT lies for Ms. Macharia to say she will be PERSECUTED if she Came back to Kenya. And she is NOT the 1st Kenyan to Falsely use Homosexuality to seek Asylum (and it's Quickly becoming a "Broken record"). Yes, more than 99.9% of Kenyans LOATH Homosexuality; but they do NOT persecute Homosexuals. Note: Kenyans hate the SIN; not the SINNER.
Do not talk for me. You are a sinner, a big sinner leave MR. Macharia alone.
@Guest 1,kenyans hate the sin but not the sinner.Thats good to know.I will keep on sinning.And no iam not talking about gays here.Sin is sin regardless of the source...ithink.
I also thought you hated homosexuals .Thanks for clarifying that you dont...
Nb: I hate Homosexuality; but just wonder "What in the World?" about Homosexuals.
But you don't hate homosexuals.Note I did not say you love them, though as a Christian you might,and should.But you hate anything sinful they do,or for that matter any body else. Right?
Right. I Wouldn't resist helping anybody. But there are some things I do not like about some people (as much as some people don't like some things about me).
@maxiley, beware of these canning Kenyans. They are no gay at all. Just capitalizing on it for their own gains.
@Guest me too.This faggets,maggots,mashetani,madevils need to b thrown the idi amini way huko lake victoria.Its that simple.Gaysm sodomy is abomination
I feel your pain.😢
I feel your pain.😢
@Guest1 claims she hates the sin not the sinner. You,you are at another level of hate.
Ms/mr. Macharia... you can wear earrings and swing your hips and flip your hands so you can apply for asylum in the pretence of being guy...
After you swing your hips in daytime at night your msolokombo is with your Madame ..... wacha ujinga
I know of a bunch of pretentious gay men who walk hand in hand in court to Show the immigration judge how gay they are but in fact now they are happily married to there pussy real pussy babes and have children.... They travel to jam uhuru via other countries coz they lied they will be lynched...ujinga kabisa
Huyu Jamaa ni sura mboff... eeeish.
Anyhow, if Macharia feels unsafe, he should not return to Kenya. Huko Gachie watamuua. Support him you silly Kenyans. One for all and all for one.
Naiomba serikali ya Uingereza imruhusu mkristo na pia shoga Kenneth akae Uingereza. Kuna wakristo na pia mashoga Waingereza wengi ambao wanaishi Kenya.
If I was this Macharia, I would print out all these comments to support my claim. Period. And probably name and shame Mwakilishi for giving a platform for such hatred. Hakuni mtu na Jitu....sote equal. One man's meat, another man's poison. Songeni na reli!!
Mimi sitaki kuwa kama kinyonga (chameleon). Huyu ni mnyama ambaye hugeuza rangi yake kulingana na mahali alipo.
Mimi nimeamua kuchukua elimu ya teknolojia peke yake kutoka nje ya taifa langu dogo na pia kujifunza lugha nyingi za watu ili nijue mawazo yao, elimu yao, na pia jinsi wanavyofikiri au kunifikiria.
Kwa mfano, Ndugu zetu na dada zetu kutoka Yuropa wanampendwa mbwa zaidi kiwango ambacho wanamruhusu kulala naye kwenye kitanda kimoja. Pia, nimewaona wakimpiga mbwa busu la mdomo! Isitoshe, wengine hutumia midomo hiyo kwa mambo ya mapenzi!!! Hii ni mojawapo ya sababu ambazo zanifanya kuwa mbali sana nao kutokana na mila zao za ajabu.
Wakati mwingine katika mila za Yuropa, Mke na mume hutembea pamoja huku wameshikana mikono. Mimi sioni makosa yoyote kushikana mikono lakini sitaki kushikwa mikono hadharani (in public).
Mambo ya kupigana busu na kushikana mikono njiani na pia mambo ya kikristo ni mila zao. Ndiyo sababu sitaki mtu kunipa imani yake kana kwamba mababu zangu hawakuwa na imani yao. Uzuri wa dini za Kiafrika, ni uu: Ndugu zetu Wamasai na Wagikuyu ni jirani, lakini Mgikuyu hakumlazimisha Mmasai kuomba huku akitazama mlima wa Kenya! Waliishi kama jirani na pia kuheshimiana ingawa walipigana mara kwa mara kwa sababu ya wizi wa mifugo.
Hasira yangu kubwa inayotokana na dini ya kikristo na pia kiislamu ni kufikiria ya kwamba dini zao ndizo dini pekee. Ndiyo sababu kubwa ambayo inanifanya kuchukia dini hizi mbili. Isitoshe, dini hizi mbili ndizo zilizowauza ndugu na dada zangu kama watumwa duniani.
Kwa nini mtu atoke Yuropa au Uarabuni aje kwako bila kualikwa halafu aanze kukudharau kwa kukupa majina yake, chakula chake, na pia imani yake? Isitoshe, anapiga marufuku pombe ya mababu zake na kukuuzia pombe yake?
Ni lazima tuondoe minyororo ya kujifikiria duni (inferiority complex) kwenye fikira zetu.
@imara Daima your Swahili is sanifu sana. But sitakukosowa lakini katika chumba cha kulala hauwezi jua kama hawa watu wote watumia midomo Yao kufanya mapenzi. Hiyo wacha tu sema hizo Siri kama zinazungimzwa utashituka ama upatwe na butaa
@outcast: Kiswahili, ni lugha yetu ya taifa na pia rasmi. Ninajivunia kusema na kuandika huku nikitumia lugha hii.
Mambo ya kufanya mapenzi huku wanaoshirikiana wakitumia midomo, ni mila za ndugu na dada zetu kutoka Yuropa. Sasa, imeenea (spread) mahali popote Wanayuropa walipohamia na kunyakua nchi ya wenyewe na kuifanya yao.
Mimi ninaamini ya kwamba, watu wafuate mila zao lakini wasiwalazimishe watu wengine kufanya hivyo. Lakini, teknolojia ni ya binadamu wote popote walipo duniani. Kwa nini upande basikeli yako kutoka mji wa New York hadi mji wa San Francisco ikiwa unaweza kupanda ndege na kufika huko mara moja?
AKILI NI MALI.
JAMBO MUHIMU: TEKNOLOJIA, SAYANZI, MAMBO YA UFUNDI, KILIMO NI YA WATU WOTE DUNIANI.
Lakini:
1. Mila
2. Majina
3. Imani
4. Lugha ya familia yako, itoke kwenye mababu zako.
Bado unahubiri injili ya mila ndugu? Kuna familiar theme coming forth...."let's make America great again!". Sound familiar? You are starting to sound like this nameless person. He shouts in the name of nationalism and you in the name of "Mila". Undressed, they both equate to the same thing! Imara, I respect you really...you just evoke some sort of emotion in me.... a little like that nameless blond who dared call your country a "shi@*le!
@Sukari:
Mimi sioni makosa yoyote kupata elimi kutoka kila mahali duniani. Ningependa kujua, Je, huu ni ungwana kuitwa "Victoria Smith badala ya kuitwa Wanja Gatei?"
Kwa nini Mgikuyu asiabudu huku akitazama Mlima wa Kenya kuliko kuabudu huku akitazama sanamu huko Mecca? Kwa nini Mgikuyu asiitwe Kamau wa Njoroge kuliko kuitwa " Abdallah Mohammed?"
Ningependa ujue hakuna makosa yoyote Mgikuyu kusema Kiingereza, Kirusi, Kizulu, Kiyoruba au kuendesha motokaa au ndege.
Nakuomba tafadhali usichanganye mila na teknolojia! Hapa ndipo tunapotofautiana kwa mawazo Dada Sukari.
Naona ulijibu Imara….sitaki kuanza hii debate. Sasa, vipi siku kuu? Washerehekea wapi? Nakufanyia mzaha ndugu! Najua wewe sio mkristo...for me, natafuta shimo la ku- hibernate through the capitalism! I never thought the day would come when I miss the simplicity of Christmas like back in the day. It was simply a new dress, shoes (if lucky) na once in a year kuku na chapati with a simple midnight church service! All this overblown dos' is not for me! Any suggestions?