Albert Nabonibo

Albert Nabonibo (born 1983/1984 (age 36–37) in the Gicumbi District) is a gospel singer and accountant from Kacyiru in the suburbs of Kigali, Rwanda.[1][2][3][4][5] Thomson Reuters Foundation News describes Nabonibo as well-known and popular singer, and reports he has released eight gospel songs since 2012.[6] In August 2019, he came to international attention when he came out as gay, which is held in tension with “Africa’s conservative, anti-gay views in regards to homosexuality.”[2][7] Additionally the churches in the mostly-Christian country purport that being LGBTQ is sinful.[8] In coming out he became Rwanda's first openly gay gospel singer.[1] PinkNews named him as the eighth “most impactful and moving coming out story” of 2019, noting “the negative reactions he would inevitably face”.[9]

Albert Nabonibo
Birth nameAlbert Nabonibo
Born1983 (age 37–38)
Rwanda, Gicumbi
GenresGospel
Occupation(s)Gospel Singer, Accountant, Singer

Biography

Albert Nabonibo was born 1983/1984 in the Gicumbi District, one of five districts in Northern Province, Rwanda.[10] Nabonibo has been active in the African Pentecostalism churches including as a member of the church choir.[10] He has had some success since 2014, including Umenipenda and Sogongera.[10] Up to August 2019 he has had to keep his sexuality a secret and live a double life.[10] As he suspected, Nabonibo has faced backlash from work, family, and harassment at church leading him to withdraw from all three.[11]

The continent has some of the world’s toughest laws against homosexuality, and LGBTQ people; gay sex is a crime in most countries, with penalties from prison time to death.[12]

Rwandan attitudes to LGBTQ

MamboOnline noted “while homosexuality is legal in Rwanda, it remains a taboo in the country,” although in July 2019 it joined a handful of African countries to vote for a “mandate of the UN Independent Expert on the protection against violence and discrimination” for LGBTQ people.[2] Nabonibo came out so he could “live normally and without pretense.”[13] Gay Times stated, “there are no laws in place to protect LGBTQ residents from anti-hate speech or discrimination in the workplace. Same-sex marriage isn’t recognized.”[7] In Rwanda the “penal code does not explicitly restrict sex between people of the same gender, but same-sex marriage is banned,” as such “many LGBTQ+ people live their lives in secret to avoid societal scorn and judgment.”[4] Since being open about his sexuality, Nabonibo has been shunned by family and friends, and fears he may lose his accountant job “because being openly LGBTQ+ is extremely taboo.”[4] Rwandan human rights activist William Ntwali notes, “If you are gay, members of your community ostracize you.”[4] The Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that these anti-gay stigmas often come from colonial-era laws in Africa (1870s-1900).[4] In the pre-colonial Kingdom of Rwanda “homosexuality was common among male Hutus and Tutsis.”[14] According to HRW, as of September 2019, thirty-two African nations have anti-gay laws “left over from the colonial era.”[5] A leading Ugandan LGBTQ advocate, Frank Mugisha, characterized the backlash as a waste of energy, "If someone decides to love any one differently, how does it hurt you?"[14] Both President Paul Kagame and Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini have made homophobic statements.[14][15] Nabonibo did get support from Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe who wrote “All Rwandans are born and remain equal in rights and freedoms. Discrimination of any kind or its propaganda... are prohibited and punishable by law,” which comes from article 16 of Rwanda's Constitution.[4] Nabonibo says there are many closeted Christians afraid to come out “due to possible discrimination and fear for their lives.”[16]

See also

References
  1. "Rwandan gospel singer Albert Nabonibo reveals he is gay - Africa Feeds". Africa Feeds Media. August 28, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  2. Igual, Roberto (August 29, 2019). "Rwanda gospel singer comes out as gay". MambaOnline - Gay South Africa online. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  3. "Albert Nabonibo: Msanii wa muziki wa kiinjili aliyekiri kushiriki mapenzi ya jinsia moja Rwanda". BBC News | Swahili. August 29, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  4. Anderson, Tre’vell (September 17, 2019). "What Happened After A Rwandan Gospel Singer Came Out As Gay". Out. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  5. Ssuuna, Ignatius (September 16, 2019). "Rwandan gospel singer comes out as gay, to country's shock". AP News. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  6. Uwiringiyimana, Clement; Bhalla, Nita (September 23, 2019). Cozens, Claire (ed.). "Rwandan gospel singer shrugs off backlash to coming out, hoping to help others". Thomson Reuters. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  7. Damshenas, Sam (August 29, 2019). "Rwandan gospel singer Albert Nabonibo comes out as gay". Gay Times. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  8. "Shock after Rwandan gospel singer reveals he is gay". The Citizen. August 29, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  9. Milton, Josh (October 11, 2019). "17 of the biggest and most influential coming out stories of 2019". PinkNews. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  10. Patience, Rutayisire (September 23, 2019). "Rwandese Christian Singer Admits He Is a Gay". Inyarwanda. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  11. "Meet the gospel star who was sacked from his accounting job for being gay". Mpasho News. October 11, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  12. Bhalla, Nita (October 10, 2019). "Uganda plans bill imposing death penalty for gay sex". TimesLIVE. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  13. Rahim, Zamira (September 16, 2019). "Rwandan gospel singer faces backlash after coming out as gay". The Independent. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  14. Avery, Daniel (September 17, 2019). "Rwandan Gospel Singer Comes Out As Gay: 'I Have To Live My Real Life'". Newsweek. Retrieved September 18, 2019. In 2016, President Paul Kagame insisted homosexuality "hasn't been our problem—and we don't intend to make it our problem."
  15. Dockray, Heather (November 18, 2017). "LGBTI activists are reclaiming Rwanda, one neighborhood at a time". Mashable. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  16. Bhengu, Cebelihle (August 29, 2019). "Being gay won't keep Rwandan gospel singer Albert Nabonibo from 'singing for God'". Herald Live. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
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