Two uncles of the late Brian Chira have defended his sexual orientation, describing him as a charming and bright student.
In an interview with Nairobi News, two of Brian’s younger uncles spoke about his life and defended him against rumours about his sexuality.
“As his uncles, we knew Brian as a church-going young man. There were rumours about his sexual orientation, even here. Some say he used to paint his nails. That was part of a beauty course he took to earn a living,” they clarified.
As for the chaos at his funeral, they expressed their disappointment at not being able to give him a proper send-off.
“We faced many challenges growing up and we were embarrassed by some of Brian’s actions. It wasn’t what we wanted and his behaviour was unacceptable, but even today there was a lack of respect. We wanted peace but it hasn’t happened. His funeral was not dignified; TikTokers took over and it wasn’t what we wanted. We had asked certain people to stay away from the grave, but they forced their way into the compound,” they complained.
They described Brian as talkative and generous but noted that he hid his struggles.
“He seemed stressed, but he never showed it openly. He shared his challenges online and that’s how we knew he was suffering. He preferred to communicate over the phone rather than face-to-face,” they added.
One of the uncles mentioned not seeing Brian’s coffin after viewing his body at the Kenyatta University mortuary.
“Brian used to visit us regularly when he came home from school, but after he revealed his HIV status, he began to distance himself from many family members and skipped gatherings. We would mostly see him on TikTok. It was a significant change from the Brian we knew,” they added, requesting anonymity.
Chira was buried on Tuesday, March 26, at his grandmother’s ancestral land in Gitei village, Gathanje, Kiambu County.
Chira, just 23 years old, was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident in Karuri, Kiambu County.
A friend who was with him at a local club said Chira had been drinking.
When it was time to go home, he didn’t have any money or his phone, which was with another friend he had been partying with.
