They are activists. They are doing the work. They are all around us; on social media, in organisations, on panels, at the forefront of conversations. They are reminding us of what we have to do, and how to do it. But they are also at the centre of intense criticism and backlash anytime LGBTQ+ issues are at the conversations being had. They are like us, Africans, bold enough to champion the cause for change as it concerns LGBTQ+ persons and issues in Africa.
Today, The Rustin Times, as part of our PRIDE Month Special is releasing a list of 10 of our favourite activists around the continent that we should all be paying attention to.
Kevin Mwachiro 
Kevin is 47. But it’s hard to notice that. He is a writer, poet, journalist, communicator, podcaster, activist, cultural enthusiast, fitness nut, and lover of humanity and Africa. He has published a book, co-founded an LGBT film festival and even represented Kenya at the Gay Games in 2018. He also hosts Nipe Story (Tell Me A Story), a fortnightly Kenyan podcast that gives a voice to written short stories, including those from the community. He remains one of the active voices behind the advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya.
Recommended Resource: His book, Invisible: Stories from Kenya’s Queer Community
OluTimehin Adegbeye
It’s almost impossible to have been in the Queer Nigerian space for about a while without knowing Olutimehin. Her Wikipedia profile says she is a Nigerian writer, editor and activist whose work concentrates on questions of gender, sexuality, poverty and feminism. But ‘Timehin says she is a storyteller. And she has enough proof to back that. In 2019, she won the Gerald Kraak Prize for her essay, Mothers and Men. In 2017, her Ted Talk, Who Belongs in a City?, was selected as one of the top 10 TED Talks of 2017. For Pride Month this year, OluTimehin is curating stories of Queer people under a project she named “Quietly Queer“.
Recommended Resource: Her Women Deliver 2019 speech, The Power of Storytelling
Jamil Farouk Khan
Jamil is a South African Writer and Researcher. He is currently enrolled for a PhD in Critical Diversity Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research focuses on the histories and lived experiences of creolized people (classified as coloured) in South Africa and more broadly explores power dynamics between oppressed groups in a white supremacist world order. He considers his work to be a bridge between academic and artistic spaces to give expression to the historic tradition of storytelling, which is too often trivialised and dismissed.
Recommended Resource: His Memoir, Khamr: The Makings of a Waterslams, due for release in September 2020.
Dumiso Gatsha
Dumiso is a Botswanaian activist. They are the founder of Success Capital Organisation, an emerging grass-roots, nationally operating young sexual minority-led NGO in Botswana. Dumiso has served in multiple civil society roles with a focus on HIV Prevention, youth LGBTIQ+ representation, advocacy and research. Dumiso’s experience includes working for PWC, GIZ, Zurich, UNDP and as a national consultant under the regional SOGIR Project. Dumiso Gatsha is also a third-year PhD (Law) candidate, Chartered Global Management Accountant and researcher.
Recommended Resource: Dumiso Gatsha: The need to support young people who stand up for human rights
Pamela Adie
Pamela Adie is the executive director of The Equality Hub. The Equality Hub is a nonprofit organization working to advance the rights and elevate voices of lesbian, bi, & queer women. She is also a filmmaker. In 2019, she directed Under The Rainbow, Nigeria’s first lesbian-focused documentary. Previously, Pamela served as Senior Campaigns Manager at All Out, where she led the successful global campaign to stop notorious American pastor, Steven Anderson from entering South Africa to spread hate against LGBTQI people. When the Nigerian government refused to register her nonprofit and infringed on her freedom of Association, Pamela launched a suit against the government agency. The case is at the Nigeria Court of Appeal.She has spoken worldwide on LGBT rights and social inclusion topics, including at the 2017 World Economic Forum, where she made the business case for LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace.
Recommended Resource: Her documentary, Under The Rainbow
Bandy Kiki
According to her Wikipedia page, 29-year-old Bandy Kiki is a Cameroonian blogger, LGBT activist and a serial entrepreneur based in the U.K. She is the creator of Kinnaka’s Blog, a high traffic English-speaking website in Cameroon for news and entertainment. She is a controversial figure due to her political views and LGBT activism and has been called “The Most Hated Anglophone On Social Media in Cameroon. She is a member of the GIA Foundation team. GIA Foundation is a newly created NGO fighting for the rights of LGBT communities across Africa.
Recommended Resource: Her interview with BBC Pidgin.
Gerald Hayo
Gerald Hayo is the founder of Girls’ Pride Kenya and currently works as the communications and administration officer at Rainbow Women of Kenya, a Lesbian, Bisexual, Intersex organisation that champions for the social, legal and health rights of LBIQ women in the region. Girls’ Pride Kenya is a project that focuses on girls and women from underserved communities with minimal to limited access to services at the coast of Kenya. The goal is to identify and create visibility for LBIQ at-risk young women and girls in the community and through mentoring and peer-to-peer open discussions help them to discover their individuality, gifts, talents and potential, to believe in oneself and nurture passions and employ every ounce of confidence.
Recommended Resource: Her interview with The Rustin Times.
Xeenarh Mohammed
Xeenarh is the Executive Director of The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERS). TIERS is a Nigeria-based registered not-for-profit organisation working to protect and promote the human rights of sexual minorities nationally and regionally. Xeenarh is a lawyer, activist, community organiser and holistic security trainer with over a decade of experience working on human rights issues across sectors within and outside Nigeria. Xeenarh has, in the last few years, worked with organisations such as Open Technology Fund, Love Nigeria Foundation, Heinrich Boll Stiftung and freelanced for many other organisations on issues relating to human rights, gender and social development.
Recommended Resource: She called me Woman
Qwin Fiona Mbabazi
Qwin Fiona Mbabazi is a Ugandan activist. She works as GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) community engagement manager. She travels around the country, promoting human rights and teaching about her own experiences and the importance of supporting and protecting the LGBTQ community. Qwin has dedicated her life to GLAD’s mission: to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status and sexual orientation through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy and education. was also part of the team that planned, organized and implemented the 1st Queer Kampala International Film Festival.
Recommended Resource: Out, Proud and African: Qwin Mbabazi
Clara Shuma
Clara Shuma is the Executive Director- TACEF, Steering Committee member at EATHAN, Transgender representative to IBBS – Tanzania, and Barack Obama African Leaders Program 2018 Alumni. She is an activist and human rights defender for transgender, gender non-conforming and sex workers’ rights in Tanzania. Clara was able to work with several national and international association and is currently working on advocating for human rights, health rights, socio-economic empowerment, safety and security, gender equality and LGBT+ rights in Tanzania and East African region, with the aim that one-day LGBTIQ+ people will be able to enjoy freedom and equality without having to leave their country.
