The death of renowned gay author Binyavanga is a major blow to the Kenyan LGBTQ community.
The award wining author, who was not shy of speaking out his mind and protected the rights of gays breathed his last on Tuesday at 10 pm after he suffered a stroke.
Binyavanga, a gay rights activist, revealed he was HIV positive on World’s Aids day in 2016 after coming out of the closet in 2014.
He tweeted,
I AM HIV POSITIVE, AND HAPPY.
Well, this saw quite a number of LGBTQ members gain courage to speak out, among them was gospel artiste George Barasa alias Joji Baro.
He openly revealed he was positive in 2013. Barasa was close to the late and his death has affected him.
In one of his posts on social media, he wrote,
IMAGINE A GAY MAN WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SOCIETY SO IMMENSELY BEFORE COMING OUT. SOMEONE WHO SUFFERED BOTH IN THE CLOSET AND WHEN HE WAS OPEN DURING HIS LAST YEARS. NOW, EVEN IN DEATH, YOU ARE STILL BASHING HIM. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO SOMEONE WHO CANNOT DEFEND HIMSELF? WHAT HAPPENED TO US AFRICANS? I THOUGHT WE RESPECTED DEATH. IT WAS A SACRED RIGHT OF PASSAGE. OUR ANCESTORS NEVER USED TO DISRESPECT GODS. WHICH RELIGION IS THAT THAT TAUGHT YOU TO MAKE FUN OF THE LIVING DEAD? WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? I WANT TO KNOW WHO RAISED YOU…WHO IS YOUR MOTHER? YOU KILL SOMEONE AND YOU STILL FOLLOW THEM TO THE GRAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE DEAD. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU HUMAN ANIMALS! I AM DISAPPOINTED. YOU WHO IS SO HOLY, APART FROM “GOING TO THE WORLD AND MULTIPLY,” WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO LEAVE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE? WHAT WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED FOR. THIS IS SO UNBELIEVABLE!
George Barasa spoke to Mpasho.co.ke abou how Binyavanga was to help him write a book about his life and publish it for him.
He said his dream has been shuttered.
YOU HAVE LEFT THIS WORLD RICH OF YOUR LITERATURE AND OH YOUR COLLECTIONS OF RECIPES. WHO IS GOING TO WRITE MY BOOK? YOU PROMISED TO HAVE MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED. YOU HAVE LEFT ME WITH A DEBT. YOU OWED ME. MAY YOUR SOUL FIND PEACE IN A RESTFUL PLACE. GO WELL MY ELDER. IT IS ANCESTOR’S WILL THAT YOU ARE FINALLY WHERE THERE IS NO HARM AND PAIN. IT IS WELL.
Well, Mpasho.co.ke has screenshots of the last conversation between George and Binyavanga. The gospel artiste had reached out to him to help him publish a book and Wainaina’s message to him read,
SEND IT TO ME BY EMAIL AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED IT
Check out the screenshots;
