A family scarred by homophobia

• Relatives of man in London’s same-sex marriage ceremony harassed by villagers

Muchira said his nephew’s gay marriage had stained the family name, irreversibly. “What that boy has done has ruined the family name, it is wrong.”
The controversy has spread across the ridges of Murang’a and beyond.

“Everybody is talking about it, I heard it over the radio,” said Mr Julius Maina Mariara, 60, who lives more than 50 kilometres from Chege’s home village.

Passed over

Chege’s father, Gichia Gikonyo, was incoherent on Thursday at his home.

“You see that is a woman who just passed over there? She is going to the farm too,” he said in response to our question.

Humphrey Gichia the family’s last born son has not spoken to anyone for days, neighbours said.

He stopped the Nation’s interview with his father and – armed with a machete – motioned our staff out of the compound menacingly.