As the world continues to become lonelier than it already was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LGBTIQ persons are taking even harder hits with the isolation. Tragedy befell the LGBTIQ community yesterday when 27-year-old Aneste Mweru from Uganda took his own life in Westlands in the Kenyan Capital of Nairobi.

It is reported that Aneste had been battling depression and had been attacked on several occasions. United Nations Human Rights Commission for Refugees Kenya(UNHCR) confirmed the incident and revealed that the Kenyan Police was actively investigating the case.

Close friends of the deceased revealed that Aneste had become increasingly restless and desperate due to the delayed process of his asylum application. According to a post shared by Refugee Flag Kakuma, UNHCR acknowledged that Aneste was legally recognized as a refugee in Kenya having arrived in January 2017 and his refugee status having been approved in March 2019.

Refugee Flag Kakuma, where Aneste is said to have been a member, also revealed that many refugees are battling mental health issues and contemplating suicide due to the difficult financial situations they find themselves in. Previously, UNHCR Kenya and Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS) provided monthly stipend to the refugees- a fee that deteriorated with time until it was completely taken off the books. With many refugees unable to work due to lack of relevant documentation (due to the lag in process), they depended on this stipend for survival. With its total abolition came absolute poverty which has left most desperate and at the edge, as reported in Aneste’s case. Read more via Kuchu Times