Rwandan gospel singer Albert Nabonibo has told the BBC Great Lakes service that he was sacked from his accountancy job in the capital, Kigali, two weeks after revealing on the BBC that he was gay.
Homosexuality is not an offence in Rwandan law but the largely Christian society has a very negative view of it.
Mr Nabonibo’s decision to go public about being gay in late August raised eyebrows considering he is a gospel musician.
But shortly after, on 19 September, his employer forced him to resign, he said.
“I was good at my job, but when fellow employees saw the story they started hating me, then my bosses pushed me to resign,” Mr Nabonibo says.
The artist said that resigning was a better option compared to outright sacking, which could have tarnished his employment record.
The BBC’s attempt to get a comment from his former employer was unsuccessful.
Mr Nabonibo said his life has changed since coming out. Some family members and friends no longer talk to him and he no longer goes to his church because of harassment.
“I am afraid, I am not free as before, but I wish my society could understand,” he said.
Source: BBC
