The British press is ablaze this week with headlines about one of Kenya’s most recognisable stars. The Guardian newspaper in the UK has published a striking feature on Willis Austin Chimano, the flamboyant singer from Sauti Sol, describing the turmoil and triumph of his journey after being outed as gay.
The story has caught fire internationally, dominating pop culture and world news sections across London papers, with many highlighting how Chimano’s defiance has turned him into a symbol of courage in the face of Africa’s unforgiving laws on sexuality.
Why such global fascination?
Because Chimano wasn’t just any celebrity. He was a key member of Sauti Sol — the group often dubbed Africa’s biggest boy band — whose music filled arenas and dominated charts from Nairobi to New York.
For years, Chimano “wore a mask” on stage, hiding his sexuality from the wider public even as he privately embraced his queer identity.
His honesty has now become the subject of fevered debate, making him one of the most talked-about African artists in Britain this summer.
“I had to do everything in my power to keep my sexuality hidden,” Chimano told The Guardian. His bandmates always knew and supported him, but he feared the backlash.
“I was scared that it could ruin our chances at becoming bigger. I just wanted to keep a clean representation of me. My queerness would have been a scandal.”
That “scandal” came in 2018 when a photograph of him with his partner surfaced online, quickly splashed across mainstream Kenyan media. Chimano suddenly found himself the first Kenyan pop star to be publicly outed, and the fallout was vicious.
“There was vitriol, oh my God, so much,” he recalled. “People were saying ‘you’re a sinner’, ‘it goes against the laws of nature’, ‘it’s against African culture’. There’s a larger society belief that what [queer people] are doing is wrong. People don’t understand.”
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The UK press has seized on these words, seeing in them both a portrait of Chimano’s vulnerability and the broader clash between modern celebrity culture and Africa’s colonial-era laws.
Kenya remains one of 31 African nations where gay relationships are still criminalised. Homosexual acts can lead to 14 years in prison, and fresh legislative attempts, such as the Family Protection Bill 2023, threaten to tighten restrictions further.
Yet Chimano’s story is not only about rejection; it is about resistance. The report details how in 2022, police in Nairobi shut down his “Love and Harmony” festival before he could perform.
Officers carrying AK-47s descended on the venue. The intimidation was clear.
“The message was that we could go ahead and set up and go on with the show, but that we should prepare for the consequences,” he said. “I was in shock, naturally. Something switched in me and I walked outside, sat and stared at a wall. Then I broke down.”
Even then, he refused to be silenced. On social media, Chimano defiantly wrote: “Bullies never win! You may have gotten your way this time. You’ve only made my resolve stronger.”
Also Read: Sauti Sol Charge More Than Ksh.13 Million To Perform After Split
Chimano on Life and Career Lately
Since then, Chimano has carved a solo path, releasing his EP Heavy is the Crown and performing across Europe and Australia. London, Cardiff, Paris — each show has allowed him to experiment and heal, turning pain into performance.
The British Council even spotlighted him as part of the UK-Kenya Season of Culture, solidifying his place as a cultural ambassador, whether Nairobi accepts it or not.
Alongside music, Chimano is working on a memoir and debut solo album slated for 2026.
The Guardian notes that he has become “a source of inspiration” for queer Africans and their families, pushing the boundaries of what visibility means in countries where silence has been the only option.
Still, he hasn’t given up on change at home. “There’s a lot more straight people who have friends in the queer community and I hope when the time comes, when we’re talking about allyship, they speak up and show up for us,” he said.
For now, the UK can’t seem to get enough of this story, a Kenyan artist daring to live his truth in a world that often demands silence.
Chimano’s voice, once muffled by fear, is now echoing louder than ever across continents. And as London’s media frenzy shows, the world is listening.
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