Charles Mwangi, the Kenyan man facing deportation from Canada can finally smile after getting temporary residency.
Mwangi, 48, fled his home to Canada five years ago.
Mwangi claims he escaped persecution since he is bisexual, and Kenya criminalised same-sex relationships.
He was saved after protesting, petitioning and filing an emergency application to the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Mwangi has been granted a one-year temporary resident permit by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.
“I’m so happy today, we have won. My deportation has been cancelled and I’m calling on the government to regularize anyone who is undocumented because this journey is not a joke, it’s a nightmare,”
“Thank you to everyone who supported me and took action,” Mwangi said.
Diana Da Silva, organiser at the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said while this is a victory for Mwangi, they should not have had to fight this hard.
“Stopping Charles’s deportation is a victory for migrant and queer justice and the power of community action. But, we should not have had to fight to stop his deportation, we call on Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau to keep his promise and regularize all undocumented people,” Da Silva said.
Mwangi and his supporters on Wednesday, August 21 protested outside his local MP’s office to deliver a petition with 2,000 signatures.
The Kenyan also wanted a meeting about the looming deportation in the hopes of stopping it.
“It’s something the government needs to consider. This is about life and death, we are talking about my life,” Mwangi said.
