Kenya's queer community calls for justice after murder of Sheila Lumumba

by Christine Kinori

Earlier last week, Kenyans online woke up to the devasting news of the murder of a 25-year-old non-binary lesbian Sheila Lumumba.

Sheila's body was discovered in a pool of blood in their home after their colleagues raised the alarm about their absence from work for three days. It is believed that Sheila was attacked in their home in Karatina, Nyeri county by a gang of six men.

According to the autopsy, Sheila had been gang-raped, strangled, stabbed several times in the neck and eyes and their leg had been broken. The police are yet to issue a statement on the case and the pursuit of the suspects but Kenyans took to social media to demand justice for Sheila.

Many Rights groups from Kenya such as Amnesty Kenya came out to offer their condolences to Sheila's family and friends. Amnesty Kenya also called out the National Police Service Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to act swiftly and ensure justice for Sheila. In their statement Amnesty Kenya promised to work with them to pursue justice.

Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty Kenya tweeted, "Nobody deserves such cruelty or murder. Sheila Adhiambo Lumumba deserves justice. We must make it so. #JusticeForSheila. So saddened by this."

Human activist Njeri wa Migwi also took to Facebook posting "Your life mattered Sheila. I just spoke to Sheila's Lumumba best friend today, and we cried together. Today Sheila is dead, six men broke into her house and gang-raped her, further broke her leg according to the autopsy, and killed this beautiful human in Karatina town. "Why? Because she was a lesbian. My heart is beyond broken."

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of Kenya (NGLHRC) also took to Twitter to deliver their condolences and condemn the heinous act. "It bears mentioning that unfortunately these are not isolated incidents and are part of a pattern of attacks and violence against LGBTIQ persons in the country," they said.

The Kenyan Queer community has indeed been at the brunt of horrific homophobic attacks with most victims and their families unable to bring the assailants to justice. Last year, the murder of trans-woman activist Erica Chandra and LGBTQ activist Joash Mosoti also led to hashtags #JusticeForErica and #JusticeForJoash. Mosoti was attacked, tortured, and strangled to death by an unknown individual(s) in his house in Mombasa. Erica Chandra was murdered and dumped on the road in Westlands, Nairobi.

A lady who identifies as a lesbian also took to social media to share her frustration with the murder of Sheila. "Sheila and I are both 25 and lesbians. I can't rest because I am one statistic away from being this. I can't rest because I know my silence will mean Sheila's death goes unpunished," she tweeted.

Protection for the queer community in Kenya is wanting as many believe that homosexuality is a sin and a crime. Hate crimes against the queer community continue to rise while the Chief Justice remains silent on the plea for protection and justice for the queer community.

So far, no arrest has been made in the case of Sheila's horrific murder.

Christine Kinori is a queer travel freelance writer. “I enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new culture. I believe in equality and I want my daughter to live in a better world.”