Rest in power, Emmanuel.
The following information was received from fellow refugees in Kenya:
A Cry for Justice and a Call for Safety:
Mourning the Loss of Our Brother
To all my fellow LGBTQ+ refugees living in Kenya,
We send you our deepest greetings,
Every day, we endure persecution simply because of who we are. We face hate, violence, and rejection, but let me remind you, these days of suffering will not last forever.
One day, the world will hear our voices and justice will rise.
Today, I write with a heavy heart.
Our beloved friend and brother, Muhayimana Emmanuel, just 28 years old, has tragically lost his life.
He lived in Dadaab camp for over eight years, enduring the struggles of being an openly LGBTQ+ person in a place where hatred runs deep. On a dark day, that hate turned deadly.
Emmanuel was shot five times—a brutal act of hate simply because of who he was.
Though rushed to Nairobi Hospital, he did not survive.
We are shattered.
This is a loss to all of us.
We are scared. We are mourning. And we are angry.
We are calling upon human rights defenders, UNHCR, governments, and allies to act—to speak up, to protect us, to help us live in peace and dignity.
Today it was Emmanuel.
Tomorrow, it could be any of us.
Please—do not let his death be in vain.
We need protection.
We need safety.
We need a place to live freely and authentically, without fear of being hunted down.
We will never forget you.
To the world:
How many more of us must die before you take action?
#JusticeForEmmanuel
#LGBTQRefugees
#StopKillingUs
#ProtectLGBTQRefugees
#RefugeeLivesMatter
#QueerRightsAreHumanRights
#UNHCRActNow
#TransLivesMatter
#DadaabCamp
#RainbowInExile
#SayTheirName
#EndLGBTQPersecution
#KenyaLGBTQ
#SafeHavenNow
#MuhayimanaEmmanuel
@HumanRightsWatch
@RainbowRailroad
@UnitedNations
@HumanRights
@RefugeeCoalitionofEastAfrica
@RefugeeCareInitiative
@Kenya
@InternationalTransFund
@InternationalRainbowAlliance
@InterPride
@BlackLivesMatter
Geoff Allshorn
I am very sorry for the loss of Muhayimana Emmanuel.
The Kenyan government and the UNHCR must be held accountable.
#Commonwealth
#KenyaGovernment
#ExpelKenyaFromTheCommonwealth
#UNHCRKenya
#UNHCR
#FilippoGrandi
#UNHCRAustralia
#KenyaHighCommissionCanberra
This material used with permission. This blog ©2025 Geoff Allshorn. All rights for this article returned to the author.
I show my respect for Elders past and present and acknowledge the Wurundjeri-Willam people, the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which this blog was prepared.