Please don’t deport me, I will be lynched! Kenyan Gay Rugby player facing deportation from UK cries out (PHOTOs)

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3 years ago

November 21, 2018

Kenyan Digest

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Wednesday, November 21, 2018- A Kenyan Rugby player based in the UK is facing deportation after his request for asylum on the grounds that he will be ‘persecuted’ and imprisoned in Kenya because he’s gay was rejected.

Kenneth Macharia, who plays for Bristol Bisons Rugby team was still detained at Colnbrook immigration centre near Heathrow airport pending deportation by the time of going to press.

Speaking with BBC radio from the detention center, Macharia said “there is a lot of mob justice that takes place in Kenya because the police are generally inefficient and the general public has a habit of taking the law into their own hands.”

However, the Home Office has rejected his claims stating that they deem Kenya to be safe for gay people.

Macharia’s club and teammates have set up a petition and launched a social media campaign in a bid to force the Home office to reverse the decision.

A statement from the club read: “Ken’s story is yet another example of the Home Office ignoring the risks that LGBT people face in multiple countries around the world.

“We are providing support for Ken at this challenging time, hoping he will not be removed from the UK to continue his life here.

“Deporting a good, hard-working, gay man to a country where homophobic violence and imprisonment is rife is immoral and unjust, and should be stopped.”

Macharia has been living in Bristol since 2009 where his mum stays and has a work Visa.

With heavy hearts we are sharing the news that one of our members has been detained pending deportation from the UK.

Kenneth Macharia has had his request for asylum rejected and now risks being deported to Kenya, fearful of persecution and violence in Kenya because he is gay. pic.twitter.com/qySfq3XUAy

— Bristol Bisons RFC (@bisonsrfc) November 18, 2018