•There are some things that we must admit we don’t share. Our culture, our societies don’t accept - Uhuru Kenyatta
•The High Court on Friday declined to decriminalise sections of the penal code that make it illegal to have consensual same sex.
Their paths intersected only briefly at a bar, in Kilimani area, Nairobi, and the relationship between a father and a son died, instantly.
Harrison Ouma was cuddled in the arms of his lover, Samuel Michael when his father showed up, looked at him and spit, before walking away.
"We were cosy, kissing and hugging at the only bar where we felt wanted, then he appeared," explained Ouma. It was five years ago, and the 31-year-old has only seen his father once since, but it never mended what was already broken.
"I saw him at my sister's homecoming and two years after the last meeting at the bar. He did not talk to me, and when I greeted him, he looked away," narrated Ouma. "It would be so much easy if he understood me, if he listened. I have no regrets and I will not ignore my sexuality for parental love".
Harrison said he has been gay since high school and had tried many times to 'escape' his sexuality before he let go.
"It is natural, it is very natural, and I can't help it," he muttered almost silently looking at me as if to read any signs of doubt.
His eyes blinked continually as he talked to me, his arm swinging with every word that left his well-blamed lips.
He wore a plain white T-shirt on it drafted, 'More a sinner?' In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) colours."I have to go, I am so anxious but hopeful. I have to go," he said as he elbowed his way into the courtroom.
His left hand, he pulled a 'lady' dressed in an African suit, and a white shirt fastened with a bow-tie.
Her face was made up and lips painted black, and on his head, sat a black hat. As she entered the court, she it off and swirled it on her to reduce the heat.
The courtroom was full to the brim, there were more than three times more people outside than there were inside.
High Court three-bench judge was to make a rule on gay sex ban, a war that had borne two extremes while the rest, maintained apathy.
And not even the symbols of justice in the room kept the hostility away. A man standing next to the lady with Harrison snapped after she made a statement of hope.
"I hope it will not be too hot to dispense justice. It's hope both inside here as it is our there with all the intolerance," murmured the lady who was with Harrison before leaning before the wall.
"This is unnatural, unGodly and very disgusting. I hope the court knows that," retorted the man rudely. The debate on same sex sex became heated during former US president, Barack Obama's visit when he addressed legal discrimination against LGBT.
"When you start treating people differently not because of any harm they are doing to anybody, but because they are different, that’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode," said Obama.
But in his response, President Kenyatta said: "There are some things that we must admit we don’t share. Our culture, our societies don’t accept."
Bisi Alimi, an Nigerian author in one of his works argued that LGBTI is African quoting history in the Buganda Kingdom.
"King Mwanga II was openly gay and faced no hate from his subjects until white men brought the Christian church and its condemnation. Though King Mwanga is the most prominent African recorded as being openly gay, he was not alone," wrote Alimi.
"To stop all this, we need to start by re-telling our history and remembering our true African culture, one that celebrates diversity, promotes equality and acceptance, and recognises the contribution of everyone".
After the heat, tears and gloom filled the courtroom after the High Court on Friday declined to decriminalise sections of the penal code that make it illegal to have consensual same sex.
Judges Roselyn Aburili, Chacha Mwita and John Mativo noted that phrases used in the penal code are clear and disclose offences known in law.
"I'm so heartbroken, but we shall live to fight," said Harrison as he rubbed his eyes and left court, having failed to decriminalise gay sex.