Kenyans In Scotland

The Kiganjo tragedy is truly heartbreaking. It is a painful reminder that issues of mental health and domestic conflict must be taken seriously and addressed before they escalate into irreversible loss.
To parents and couples facing difficult situations, if things are no longer working, please protect the innocent children. They should never have to bear the consequences of disputes they did not create.
My heartfelt condolences to the family, friends & everyone affected by this devastating loss. May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace.

The Black Blues Brothers are back at the Edinburgh Fringe
with Let’s Twist Again! 🎪✨
A show packed with twists, flips and standing ovations night
after night. 👏🔥
5–31 Aug. Tickets available now. 🎟
https://tinyurl.com/Fringe26BBB

The Kenyan diaspora community is mourning the passing of June Chebet Kili a tragedy that comes just two years after the Kili family suffered the loss of their son, Rodney Kili, in a farm accident.
George and Brenda Kili of Eldoret are now facing the heartbreaking reality of losing two children within a short period of time, a devastating loss that has deeply affected relatives, friends, and members of the Kenyan diaspora.
June had been pursuing her studies at The University of Newcastle since 2024. She passed away on June 1, 2026, while receiving treatment at Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, New South Wales. Her death occurred only weeks before her expected graduation on June 26, 2026, a milestone that her family had eagerly looked forward to celebrating.
Our deepest sympathies go to George and Brenda Kili, their family, and all those affected by these tragic losses. May June Chebet Kili and Rodney Kili rest in eternal peace.
www.kenyansinscotlandumoja.org

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐄𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐨 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭
Following an investigation by the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, Edwine Kiplangat, aged 29, of London Road in Reading, has pleaded guilty to murder at Reading Crown Court today, along with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The court heard that on 7 September 2025, at around 2.35pm, officers were called to an address on the A4 London Road in Reading, England following reports of a stabbing.
A 39-year-old woman, Linner Sang, sadly died at the scene. Police confirmed that Kiplangat and Linner were known to each other and had previously lived together at the same address.
Linner’s next of kin continue to be supported by specialist family liaison officers.
Kiplangat was arrested the following day and formally charged on 9 September 2025.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Stuart May of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said the victim had recently ended a relationship with Kiplangat and had gone to the address to collect personal belongings.
He added that evidence indicated Kiplangat had planned the attack, carried it out, and attempted to flee afterwards, showing no regard for the injuries inflicted.
He said the force remains committed to tackling violence against women and girls and bringing offenders to justice.
Kiplangat has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on 3 July 2026.
www.kenyansinscotlandumoja.org

Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ+ bill
By Harry Sekulich and Thomas Naadi
30 May 2026, 01:51 BST
The parliament in Ghana has approved a new bill criminalising homosexuality and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.
Identifying as le***an, gay, bisexual transgender or q***r can be punished by up to three years' imprisonment. The bill also introduces a "duty to report" prohibited acts to police.
Religious leaders have pressured President John Dramani Mahama, who still needs to ratify the legislation, to strengthen anti-gay laws since he came to power last year.
The ban has been sharply criticised by international organisations, including Human Rights Watch, which said it placed LGBTQ+ peoples' lives at risk while also "encouraging citizens to surveil and denounce one another".
Same-sex relationships have been banned in Ghana under laws dating from the British colonial era.
In an address to Parliament, the bill's sponsor Reverend John Ntim Fordjour said the bill protected Ghanaian family and cultural values.
He said the new bans would make existing laws "more robust, more encompassing, and more stringent in dealing with the practices of LGBTQI".
Anyone who identifies as an "ally", a general term for a supporter of LGBTQ+ people, could also face a prison sentence.
Exemptions were included for legal, media and healthcare professionals who report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment or other services for gay people.
Human Rights Watch recommended the bill be abandoned, in a formal submission to the constitutional and legal affairs committee scrutinising the legislation in the capital Accra.
Ghana passed a similar bill in 2024 but it did not become law after former president Akufo-Addo failed to sign it amid legal challenges.
President Mahama has indicated he would support the bill's passage, saying shortly after he took office that "I believe in the principles and values that only two genders exist – man and woman. And that marriage is between a man and a woman."
Several African countries have cracked down on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years.
Senegal's parliament approved similar legislation in March which prescribes a maximum prison term of 10 years for sexual acts by same-sex couples and criminalising the ''promotion'' of homosexuality.
Uganda introduced a death penalty for certain same-sex acts in 2023.
Courtesy of BBC

Ballot Opens For Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.

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The ceremony in July will be the first time the event has been held indoors
Anyone hoping to buy tickets for the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games can register their interest later.
The ceremony, which will take place at the OVO Hydro on 23 July, will be staged indoors for the first time in the event's history.
With demand expected to be high, people are required to register in advance for the chance to buy tickets, from 12:00, with registration closing at 23:59 on 26 May.
Successful applicants will be selected at random and notified on 1 June before being given the opportunity to purchase up to four tickets the following day.
Adult ticket prices range from £45 to £195, with concession prices also available.
The opening ceremony will begin 10 days of competition and will feature athletes from 74 nations and territories. A cast of 600 performers is expected to take part.

George Black, chair of Glasgow 2026, said the ceremony would mark the moment the city welcomes athletes from across the Commonwealth.
"Gathered in The Hydro, we will share a story of how this city has contributed to the world," he said.
"By entering the ticket draw, we want to give people the opportunity to watch the live action unfold as the Commonwealth comes together in one place to mark the start of the Games."
Louisa Mahon, chief marketing and ceremonies officer, said the event would be a "fast-paced, immersive live experience".

Courtesy of BBC Scotland.

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Patients have tried to punch me because of my skin colour'.

ByMartin Lindsay
North East and Cumbria Investigations
12 May 2026.
https://eacscotland.org/
There has been a significant rise in reports of NHS staff being racially abused by patients, the BBC has found. Workers say they are being physically and verbally attacked because of their ethnicity more often than ever.
Nurse Tito Vicario says, in the two years he has worked at Sunderland Royal Hospital, he has been racially abused by patients multiple times.
"Whenever I feel like it's going to happen again I feel my heart racing," he says.
The abuse is often verbal but, in extreme cases, he says he has been physically attacked.
"There are times where some patients will try to punch you or slap you," he says.
"It affects you not just physically but mentally as well."
In one incident Vicario, who is originally from the Philippines, was on the receiving end of a highly offensive racial slur. The patient's mortified family immediately apologised but the damage had been done, Vicario says, and such experiences leave him feeling powerless, anxious and nervous.
On another occasion, he says he was racially abused by a female patient who refused to take medication from him.
"They try to say these things to release their anger and anxiety but we're not punching bags, we're still people," he says.
"You can't hit back, just smile.
"You just take it."

Image caption,
Tito Vicario says patients have tried to punch and kick him because of the colour of his skin
The BBC submitted Freedom of Information requests to all NHS hospital and mental health trusts in England to ask how many times staff had reported being racially abused by a patient.
From the 106 trusts which provided data, there were 8,235 such reports in 2024, a 17% increase on the 7,002 reports in 2023. Several trusts did not record reports of racism prior to 2023, meaning older comparison figures are not available, but campaigners claim the issue has been growing for several years.
Staff being encouraged to report incidents could have contributed to some of the rise, however the total figure, which includes physical and non-physical incidents, could be higher because not all trusts provided data.
The founder of the campaign group Equality 4 Black Nurses, Neomi Bennett, says a "really concerning" number of incidents go unreported.
"In our research around 67% chose not to report," she says, adding that some health workers "don't trust the system to protect them".
"Some of the nurses that have approached us have ended up going to work in retail or into sales or something which is less risky than nursing," she says.
Many foreign nurses had also returned to their home country "because they can't take it anymore".
Nurse Neomi Bennett setup Equality 4 Black Nurses to support those who are racially abused
Ishaan, who is originally from India, has answered 111 and 999 calls for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) for the last two years. The BBC has agreed not to use his real name or his photograph because of fears they could attract more abuse.
Callers sometimes say they "want to speak to an English person, we don't want to speak to you", he says, or they tell him to "go back to where you came from, you have taken everything from us".
When the caller's "demands are not met they start becoming aggressive and racially abusive", and it can happen multiple times a day, he says.
In his first year working at NEAS, racial abuse occurred every few months, he says, but "this year it has increased drastically" and makes the call handlers' work harder and delays patient care.

Image caption,
The BBC has agreed not to use Ishaan's real name or photograph in case this attracts more abuse.
Ishaan says on occasions he has had to stop taking calls because he has become so "distressed, frustrated and angry" and the abuse has made him question his long-term future in England.
"It lowers my confidence, it takes a mental toll, it puts stress on me," he says.
"It makes me think, is it worth it to still be doing this job?"
The kindness of other callers keeps him going with "that little thank you we get in the end" making him want to stay.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the NHS had a "zero tolerance approach to racism" but there had been an "intolerable rise in racism against hardworking NHS staff" in recent years.
"Discrimination undermines everything our health service stands for," a spokesperson said.
A review was being conducted into antisemitism and other forms of racism and a support package to protect frontline staff from violence and aggression had been announced in 2025, the DHSC said.
The measures include encouraging staff to report incidents and making it mandatory for the reports to be collected at national level, where they would be analysed to better understand if certain staff groups are targeted more often than others, it said.
Courtesy Of The BBC North East
https://eacscotland.org/

East African Communities In Scotland We welcome all those who wish to be active participants in the effort to build harmony and mutual respect between people of different ethnic backgrounds. We do this by encouraging social contact and developing projects that can help to foster integration and bring cultural and economic benefits to b...

Dual Nationals Face Scramble For UK Passports As New Rules Come Into Force-17/2/2026.
https://kenyansinscotlandumoja.org/
The British-Latvian dual national is among those who say they have been caught out by upcoming changes to passport rules for dual nationals, which are due to kick in on 25 February.
Entry requirements for dual nationals are being overhauled as part of sweeping changes to the immigration system the government says will streamline and modernise the UK border.
But for Jelena, who has lived in the UK for 16 years, the changes are a "betrayal", and others in the same situation have told BBC News the prospect of being denied entry is causing anger and concern.
Here are how the new rules will work - and why Jelena and others like her are furious about it.
How are passport rules for British dual nationals changing?
Under the existing rules, a British dual national - whose other nationality is from a country not subject to a UK visa requirement - could travel to the UK using their foreign passport.
But from 25 February that will no longer be the case.
Instead, they will need to show either a British passport, or a new digital version of the certificate of entitlement to attach to their second nationality passport - and without one of them, they could face being denied the right to travel back to the UK.
Neither British passports or certificates of entitlement are automatically issued to people who obtain citizenship, which means some dual nationals have never applied for them, even if they have lived in the UK for decades.
Both documents take several weeks to obtain and there are costs too. A British passport costs around £100 for an adult, while the certificate of entitlement costs £589.
British nationals with dual citizenship could be refused access to the UK if they do not have a UK passport or a certificate of entitlement
These new rules for dual nationals are linked to the roll out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system this month, a major immigration reform which will require visitors to the UK who do not have a visa to apply for a £16 entry document before arriving.
The government said it plans to increase the ETA fee to £20 in the future.
Dual nationals cannot apply for an ETA and must meet the new documentation requirements instead, with checks now carried out by airlines when departing en route back to the UK.
The new rules do not apply to Irish passport holders but other EU citizens will be affected.
According to the latest census in 2021, 1.2% of UK-born residents were UK-other dual citizens (587,600) and 6.5% of non-UK-born residents were UK-other dual citizens (648,700).
The government has said the reforms bring the UK's immigration system into line with countries like the US and Australia.
But critics say the looming deadline and a lack of communication around the changes have left people scrambling to apply for new documents, with dual nationals who are out of the country on holiday or visiting family facing the prospect of being stranded until they can acquire a passport or the certificate.
How are people being impacted by the new rules?
Jelena, who was born in Latvia and has lived in the UK ever since coming to study, became a British citizen in November.
The 34-year-old chartered surveyor told BBC News she delayed applying for a British passport when she became a citizen as she was travelling to see family for Christmas, so could not send off her Latvian passport as part of the application process.
Jelena only learned of the changes recently and is unable to apply for new documentation immediately as she is due to go on a long-planned trip to South America in a few weeks and may not get her passport back in time to travel.
"As it stands, after South America, I won't be able to return to my flat [in Glasgow], which me and my husband own, in the country I have lived in for nearly 16 years, studied in and paid taxes," she told BBC Your Voice.
Jelena intends to change her travel plans by returning to Latvia after her trip to apply for a British passport from there, potentially facing a wait of several weeks or months for it to arrive.
"I'm lucky that my employer is flexible about me working from abroad - if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have a job because of this," she said.
"If I hadn't applied for citizenship and just had an EU passport, I would be in a better situation than I am now," she added.
"The irony is that I've chosen to be part of this country but it feels like I'm being deported. It feels like a betrayal."
Petra Gartzen, a UK-German dual national who has lived in the UK for four decades, said she was furious at the lack of communication about the upcoming changes and is frantically trying to secure a passport from Spain, where she is staying for a few months over the winter.
She told BBC News: "They changed the rules when I was already in Spain. There was no lead up, no major announcement - I found out about it from a Facebook post, and just thought, now what?"
The government says publicly available information has been in circulation about the upcoming changes since October 2024 but critics say it has not cut through to people affected.
Petra, a tech industry analyst, was told she would need to travel from southern Spain to Madrid for an appointment in order to apply for the "ridiculously expensive" certificate of entitlement while outside the UK, adding to the expense.
Petra says she is frantically applying for documentation so she can return home to the UK from Spain in time for work commitments
Petra has now applied for a UK passport from Spain - but that had its own complications. "They agreed to accept a notarised copy of my German passport so I did not have to send that off, but they also wanted my original citizenship certificate - which I don't have, it's in the UK," she explained.
Petra now has a "nervous wait" to see if the documentation she was able to provide is accepted and processed in time for early March, when she is due to travel back to the UK before heading to the US for work.
She said she felt let down by the way the changes have been introduced, adding: "I've been a British citizen since 2019. The UK is my home - I've lived there for 40 years, I own a home, I work and pay tax. My whole life is there."
Swiss dual national Shaun West said he was considering not replacing his British passport and renouncing his citizenship over the new requirements.
"There's no worth in it for me," said the university professor, who became a Swiss citizen after Brexit.
He said he would rather pay the ETA fee to temporarily enter the UK to see his parents, adding: "[The government] said I'll lose consular services. I'm not bothered. [They said] you won't be able to live here. I'm not going to."
West said that he found out about the rule change "utterly by accident" by reading online about how it affected Canadians, and said he believed it was discriminatory against dual nationals.
Shaun West is considering renouncing his British citizenship
Norwegian dual national Linn Kathenes, who lives in the UK, said she was only notified by the Home Office about the new rules last week.
The teacher said that the changes mean she is now in a race against time to make arrangements for an upcoming overseas school trip.
Kathenes explained that she is waiting to collect her Norwegian passport, which she had to renew. She needs to send over the document before she can begin the process of getting the UK passport required to travel.
"I don't see another way, I just have to gamble", she said.
The Home Office has been contacted about her case.
Campaign group the3million, which represents EU citizens in the UK, has also criticised government communication around the changes.
"The Home Office has not done enough to warn dual nationals of the serious impact this will have on them," the group's head of policy and advocacy, Monique Hawkins, said.
She has called on the government to "urgently hit the pause button" and introduce a "low-cost, one-off travel authorisation" for dual nationals who have found their travel plans disrupted.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Public information advising dual nationals to carry the correct documentation has been available since October 2024 and a substantive communications campaign about the introduction of ETA has been running since 2023.
"This requirement applies to all British citizens regardless of other nationality and is the same approach taken by other countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia."
Courtesy of BBC News
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KIS – Kenyans In Scotland KIS, which was founded by a group of 200 volunteers as a Community Group in 1999, is a community group for Kenyans living in Scotland.