Tag: Audrey Mbugua

Recently I wrote about Audrey Mbugua of Kenya in my Transgender Heroes series.

Audrey has been busy.  Not content to sit on her laurels, Audrey has formed a lobby group, called Transgender Education and Advocacy, to advocate for the rights of transgender Kenyans.  It is said to be “at an advanced stage of registration” with the NGO board.

We currently have over 40 members across the country.  Our mission is to reduce the stigma and tell the transgender victims that we are stronger together.

–Audrey Mbugua

And low and behold, her group has already paid dividends.  Alexander Ngungu Nthungi (legal name) won a case in Kenyan High Court against police, who were declared to have violated her rights and dignity by stripping her naked in public to determine her gender.

Audrey Mbugua is a 26-year-old Kenyan transwoman.  She is currently suing both the Kenya National Examinations Council and the Attorney General for failing to recognizing her gender identity.

Audrey is seeking to have her name changed on the certificates she earned and her identity cards and to have those reflect her new gender.  She says she has suffered prejudice and discrimination because of the reactions of potential employers to the disparity between her appearance and the data on her identification.

We realise that the matter is tricky… We may have to liaise with the registrar of births and deaths for the necessary procedures to be followed before we can put in a proper reply.

–lawyer for the State

Judge Weldon Korir refused to grant a 30-day period sought by the state, saying the case was of urgent nature.  Then he gave he respondents three weeks to reply instead.

The parties are to meet again in court on August 6.