Inside an all Inclusive Lesbian Church based in Nairobi

When you actually thought you have seen it all. The World hits you with a surprise. Have you ever heard of a lesbian gospel evangelist? And do you know there is a church in Nairobi that accepts gays and lesbians?

Well, a 50-year-old evangelist Jacinta Nzilani on Friday shocked many people at the Milimani law courts when she publicly declared that she’s a lesbian while at the same time serving as full-time gospel evangelist in Nairobi. SOGIE is an umbrella group for gays and Lesbians. It stands for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression. Nzilani, a widow, says she chose to live with another woman because of the inhuman treatment she received from her in-laws when her husband died. She had been married for 25 years.

 “I lost my church after my husband died but I have another church near Odeon that accepts people like me,” she told journalists. At first glance, one would think that she was a parent of one of the queer people who thronged the courtroom for the judgement on legalising of gay sex. She was the only one among the hundreds who was willing to say out loud that she is a lesbian compared to the others who chose to use the safe path of only showing disappointment for the ruling but not declaring if they were indeed gay.

Jacinta had accompanied other members of the SOGIE community on the much-anticipated ruling on gay rights. The ruling was however postponed to May 24 over challenges with the bench of judges.  “I came to my own decision and I decided to live with other women and I even lost my church back then but I fellowship at a church near Odeon that accommodates my community.” She said. Celebrity Karen Lucas was among those who were in court to show solidarity with the SOGIE community.