A popular LGBTQ activist was found dead inside a metal box in Kenya on Wednesday, and cops are determined to figure out what led to the man’s death. According to CBS News, Edwin Chiloba’s body was discovered on a road in Uasin Gishu County, where cops say a man had reported seeing what appeared to be a box being thrown out of a moving vehicle — the car had no license plates on it and sped off right after unloading the heavy item.
When law enforcement officials arrived at the scene to inspect the metal box, they were exposed to the decomposed body of Chiloba who was then taken to a nearby hospital for investigators to determine the actual cause of his death. “We don’t know for now why he was killed that way. Experts are handling the matter,” police spokesperson Resila Onyango said.
Eerily, in a shared video recorded during New Year, Edwin Chiloba is seen dancing and merry-making with his friends to Sauti Sol’s Live and Die in Afrika.
(PS: Video blurred to protect the identities of the individuals and who may face unnecessary harassment or be targeted). pic.twitter.com/SHqaBEEdRy
— DENIS NZIOKA (@DenisNzioka) January 5, 2023
What’s more, police say that when they opened the metal box, Chiloba was dressed in women’s clothing. Unconfirmed reports believe that his sudden death may have been linked to the activist’s sexuality, but it’s clear as day that Chiloba didn’t die from natural causes. After news of his death, his friend Denis Nzioka took to Twitter, revealing that Chiloba had been attacked in the past for his support of the LGBTQ community.
“Last year, Edwin Chiloba survived an attack by unknown assailants who roughed him up in public leaving him with serious injuries on the face,” he tweeted.
What makes his passing all the more tragic is that just one month before his body was found stuffed in a metal box, Chiloba had taken to his official Instagram to stress that he was going to continue fighting for equal rights in Kenya. “And if I am going to fight what I have been marginalized for, I am going to fight for all marginalized people.”
Last year, Edwin Chiloba survived an attack by unknown assailants who roughed him up in public leaving him with serious injuries on the face https://t.co/vwcoyfQLMm
— DENIS NZIOKA (@DenisNzioka) January 6, 2023
LGBTQ people living in Kenya are known for facing discriminatory acts against them since the country is against same-sex relationships. Interestingly enough, however, Kenya’s president had previously claimed that gay rights were a non-issue, despite the fact that these incidents are happening frequently in the east African country.