Popular gay makeup artist Dennis Karuri has opened up on plans of relocating from Kenya.
Speaking to Mungai Eve, Karuri said that the hatred on LGBTQ+ members has increased so much especially after the death of Uasin Gishu model and fashion designer Edwin Chiloba.
He said that the negative comments are getting to him and affecting him greatly.
According to him, most of them the negative comments are talking about stuffing him in a box and that he is the next victim after Chiloba whenever he posts anything on social media.
“Of late I have been feeling so bad because the hate has been so strong. Some of them are speaking upon your life, my parents, family. It is just me leaving my life, I don’t appreciate hate but it has been too much of late I think it is after Edwin passed on,” Karuri said.
He added that he lives in fear, he is called names whenever he is in public and that he feels like he is not accepted in his home country.
The makeup artist further said that he has been advised to leave the country several times because the LGBTQ is not fully accepted in Kenya. He is however sticking around because of his establishments.
“Going abroad is not something that I can’t do but I have really established myself here and I am making money here. I am not about to go somewhere and be employed so if I am to go there, I would love to go there and do my business,” he said.
Karuri however said that he plans to leave so that he can fully live his life. He did not mention when he will be taking the move.
“I am leaving. I am going away. I think for me to live a full life, I don’t think I can do it here unless I walk with bodyguards everywhere. I would just love to live a full life. Just like I have said, everyone’s path is special and everyone has their own path. I feel like in my path I want to exploit as much as possible and if I go I would love to live my life to the fullest,” he said.
Asked on which country he will be relocating to, Karuri said that Kenyans will know when the time reaches because he is yet to decide. He instead mentioned some of the countries that he would love to live in.
“I would love to go to UK, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Seychelles, Lesotho, Botswana,” he said.
