'I have not changed my name,' Makena Njeri says as they bemoan cyberbullying

Media personality Chris Makena Njeri has refuted claims that they had changed their birth name and taken up a masculine moniker.

This comes after a number of media platforms, on Thursday, published reports intimating that the former BBC journalist had changed their name to Chris Muriithi after the pro-gay activist added the name to their Instagram bio.

This saw Chris trend on Twitter for the better part of Thursday and Friday morning.

In an Instagram post on Friday, Chris dismissed the allegations labelling them as false and misleading while adding that the reports had subjected them to abuse and cyberbullying.

"For the last couple of days, I have been plastered all over media outlets in Kenya with false accusations about a name change. What this has done is open up space once again for a queer person to be cyberbullied, targeted, abused and harassed for their own existence," said Chris.

"As a trained journalist I struggle to understand how false information is given a go-ahead by editorial (if this department even exists in such media outlets) and also how there is complete lack of duty of care when it comes to reporting on issues around LGBTQ folk in this country."

Chris proceeded to ask social media giant META, which owns Instagram and Facebook, to sensitize Africans so that the queer community is not subjected to online hate in future.

"People can wake up in the morning and decide to change names. It’s not news! Also it’s not an opportunity for your pathetic media houses to use to spread hate towards the LGBTQ community!" said Chris.

In a subsequent interview with the media personality, they told Citizen Digital that Chris Muriithi is her actual birth name.

"It is my name, Chris Njeri Muriithi. In fact, what is not my name is Makena, it was my acting name from Tahidi High that just stuck on for years. So I am wondering why people are saying I have changed names, it’s ridiculous and it has caused a lot of cyberbullying and harm," they said.

"I will continue to advocate for the rights of the queer community in Africa without fear or shame! Such media houses should be held accountable for catalyzing hate," they added as they signed off with the name Chris Muriithi accompanied by a love heart emoji.