Ken Macharia: ‘It is difficult living with constant uncertainty’

Ken Macharia was happily carving out a career as a mechanical engineer in Britain before a deportation threat from the Home Office threw his life into turmoil.

As an openly gay man, the Bristol Bisons RFC player feared persecution if he was sent back to Kenya, where homosexuality is illegal, and a five-year battle to remain in the country he had made his home ensued.

Finally granted leave to remain last month, Ken is back at his previous job and trying to rebuild his life in the wake of an ordeal that left him isolated, unable to work and took its toll on his mental health.

Speaking to Bristol24/7, he reflects back on the five-year battle with the Home Office that made headlines across the country, the immense outpouring of support, the rugby team that was behind him all the way and his perfect day.

Listen to the full interview on the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:

“It was really difficult and it was getting to me for a long time. It’s difficult being in a constant state of uncertainty,” says Ken, reflecting on the ordeal that saw him threatened with deportation and detained at one point.

The 41-year-old started having panic attacks and sought support from the mental health charity mind through his GP.

Unable to work, Ken volunteered with Bristol Refugee Rights, which he says boosted his sense of self-worth – but with no money coming in, it was a mostly isolated existence fraught with uncertainty and worry.

“Before I was really optimistic and looking forward to everything but now I’m a bit more pessimistic – I’ve had a long time of not being able to plan anything or look forward to anything,” Ken tells Bristol24/7.

Ken says the support he received from teammates and others was ‘overwhelming’ – photo by Keir Gravil

Having come to Britain to study mechanical engineering at UWE Bristol in 2009, Ken started playing for the Bisons as a way of making more friends, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

He says the immense outpouring of support that saw more than 180,000 people sign a petition against his deportation was overwhelming.

“At the time, I was feeling hopeless when I was in detention so that lifted me quite significantly,” says Ken.

“It felt that everything had come to an end, so it was a good.”

The lawyer who acted on behalf of Ken for the 2021 tribunal proceedings said his story highlights the urgent need for the home secretary to review and apply structural reform to improve Home Office decision-making.

Reflecting on how it affected his life, Ken agrees the system needs an overhaul, adding: “If the system was done properly, my life would not have taken such a terrible tumble as it did.”

The rugby player, who lives in Glastonbury, says he is taking “baby steps” to rebuild his life.

Ken is taking ‘baby steps’ towards rebuilding his life – photo by Dale Upward-Sheppard

Reminiscing on a Zoom call in which attendees were asked to describe their perfect day, Ken says: “My perfect day was quite simple; wake up in the morning next to someone I love, go to a job I love and come home in the evening to someone I love.”

He added a huge thank you to everyone who has supported him.

Main photo by Dale Upward-Sheppard

Read more: Rugby player threatened with deportation wins five-year battle against Home Office