A human rights advocate with seventeen-years’ experience of drug use and street-based harm reduction advocacy. She coordinates WRADA (Women in Response to HIV/AIDS and Drug Addiction), a network of women and youth using drugs in East Africa, working on capacity development and advocacy for harm reduction and drug policy reform.

Since the covid-19 pandemic, chemsex-themed events have been on the rise in Nairobi and other urban areas in Kenya. While chemsex is relatively well understood in the global north, understanding remains limited in the global south. The recent proliferation of stimulants such as crystal methamphetamine and crack cocaine in Kenya, and the absence of substances such as Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Mephedrone in the drug market, known as the ‘standard’ chemsex drugs, presents a knowledge gap in programming for LGBTQIA+ persons who use drugs. The compounded stigma of sexual and gender identity and drug use has led to increased isolation of this community, limited agencies and abilities to access harm reduction services, increased risks to HIV, Viral Hepatitis, overdose, sexual and reproductive health problems, poor mental health, and other undesirable health outcomes.

In 2024, Women in Response to HIV/AIDS and Drug Addiction (WRADA) developed local, interactive training materials on drug use and chemsex in response to the need for non-judgemental, equitable dialogues about chemsex as part of today’s culture. Using our expertise as a regional network of women who use drugs with histories of drug use and sex work, WRADA delivered this training in three National meetings with the Key Populations Consortium of Kenya to promote safer and better informed sexual, drug using, and harm reduction practices.

We found that chemsex substances in Kenya differ based on context and availability, with cannabis sativa, cocaine and crack cocaine, local inhalants, and ecstasy currently taking center stage.
We have built the capacity of eight (8) national and ten (10) local LGBTQIA+ organisations, reducing self-stigma and developing a roadmap for the continuous capacity building of LGBTQIA+ persons and the integration of chemsex education into community led programming. The work done has resulted in a greater understanding of chemsex among the LGBTQIA+ community in Kenya.