Edwin Chiloba: The inside story of slain model, LGBTQ activist’s life

The tranquillity here is shattered by faint screams and wailing from one of the homesteads. A son, a brother, well known in the area, has been found murdered on the outskirts of Eldoret town.

25-year-old Edwin Kiprotich was born and raised in this village. But away from home, and on social media, and later mainstream media, he would be referred to as Edwin Chiloba, a name he adopted after he was repeatedly told that he resembles Communication Authority boss Ezra Chiloba.

To his family, relatives and indeed Sergoit village, he was an ambitious boy who grew up in the Catholic Church, embraced the Christian faith and was considered a staunch Catholic adherent. The village even called him "Pastor" because of his association with the church and its activities.

Jesca Kiprop recalls their teenage days in the sleepy Sergoit village.

"We always called him pastor because he liked to pray a lot. He was sociable, relating well with everyone around him. Even after we were all grown and out there hustling, I was in touch with him because I’m one of the people he approached when he wanted to study fashion and design. I advised him to follow his passion," Kiprop recalls.

She adds that Kiprotich had something for fashion even when they were young.

“He would cut banana leaves try to make clothes, fit the leaves on himself and ask his fellow kids if he looked good. It was something in him, truly.”

Outside Sergoit, Kiprotich became Chiloba, a popular model, fashionista, and an LGBTQ+ activist who connected with so many people, right from his "humble-abode" neighbours in the Chebisaas area of Uasin Gishu county to the who-is-who on the interwebs.

Chiloba had even acquired a whole new family, having met a foreign couple on social media, shared his tribulations with them and won their affection.

Yet, there is a significant number of people who really didn't know the other side of his life, one of them being his sister Gladys Cheptoo.

“Edwin was a lovely boy who respected everyone around him. He would literally run once you send him to do something for you,” Cheptoo says of her brother.

At Sergoit Primary School, she adds, he was known as a pastor because he used to sing a lot. In high school at St. Francis Kimuron, he joined Young Christian Students (YCS). His biggest weakness was that he was too free with everyone.

It was until Chiloba met his untimely death that so much started to unravel, with his sister expressing shock at the path her brother had chosen to follow after abandoning his Education course at Moi University's West Campus for a Fashion Design course at the University of Eldoret.

“I convinced Edwin to take a course in Education and he settled for Kiswahili and CRE. I sponsored him using the benefits our dad left for us when he died in 2015. But in the 2nd year of his studies, Edwin told me he was no longer interested in Education and he wanted to study Fashion Design. I was shocked at the decision and tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant. We fell out since I had already spent so much because he was self-sponsored. But later on, he apologised to me and explained that he was following his passion. I accepted the apology and we mended our relationship,” Cheptoo told Citizen Digital.

It was at this point, while he was looking to become a fashion designer, that Chiloba is said to have met Peter and Donna Pfaltzgraff on Facebook, a missionary couple living and working in Kenya. He now had a newfound family.

Cheptoo says he introduced her to the couple. He had told them that he is an orphan and homeless and that he needed their support to actualise his fashion and design dream.

The sister confirmed to the couple that indeed she was not in a position to fund his dream, and that is how the couple took him in.

“The couple works in Mumias. When they called me, they said they will help where they can but I asked to meet them first before I allowed my brother to be with them. We met and I realised they were genuine people,” she adds.

Cheptoo says the last time she talked to her late brother was last year on Christmas eve when he told her that he was joining Peter and Donna Pfaltzgraff for Christmas. She never heard from him again.

At Chebisaas, Chiloba lived with a friend, Jacktone Odhiambo, who goes by the name Lizer amongst their friends and on social media. Lizer was a freelance photographer shuttling between Nairobi and Eldoret and was known to be very close to Chiloba. 

He is the prime suspect in the cruel murder of Chiloba and is being held by detectives in Eldoret as investigations into Chiloba's murder continue.

Odhiambo has also been described by Eldoret residents as the son of a church leader.

Friends of the two who spoke to Citizen Digital in confidence lifted the lid on their friendship.

According to them, Chiloba and Lizer were close friends.

The fact that Chiloba was a fashionista and Lizer a fashion photographer cemented their relationship further.

When he was arrested, Lizer is said to have told detectives that he killed Chiloba for cheating on him, an indication that they were in a relationship.

Cheruto, a neighbour of the two and a student at the UOE, describes Chiloba as a reserved guy who would occasionally say hello when they bumped into each other in the apartment corridors, and crack a joke or two before he went on with his life.

"Chiloba was a kind man and he looked like he would become a star in the near future. As a neighbour, he was very chilled but wouldn’t pass you without greetings. He always stood out from the way he dressed, walked and even loved carrying his dog around. He was mostly in the company of Lizer, no one else. They were tight,” Cheruto says.

Chiloba's friends contradict claims by Chiloba's sister that the family and he were in touch and on good terms.

They say the slain model was homeless for a long time having fallen out with his family, especially after his father died in 2015 and he dropped Education for Fashion Design.

It is because of this reason that Chiloba dropped his association with the church and its activities as he felt neglected. So he found solace in people who were willing to accept and accommodate him.

Chiloba himself, in an interview with Ebru TV said he had no family, as his own had disowned him for taking a different path from what they expected of him.

"My sister rejected me when I told her I’m a model and fashionista. She even chased me away saying I would cause bad omen to the rest of the family. I walked away and life became very difficult. I begged friends to stay at their place since I had nothing,” Chiloba said.

“Many talked ill of me, some saying I am gay and begging because I was into fashion and modelling. But I knew this is what I wanted to do.”

On Peter and Donna Pfaltzgraff, Chiloba confirmed that they met on Facebook and Peter used to send him messages admiring his work as a model and fashion designer. At some point, he asked him to design some shirts for him, and that is how they connected.

“They asked me to visit them for Christmas in 2019. I went there and stayed for four days. I narrated to them my rejection story and they were really touched. They accepted me, I joined their family. Dad (Peter) asked me if I wanted to study fashion and design and he offered to pay my school fees at the University of Eldoret,” Chloba told Ebru TV.

According to one of Chiloba's friends, towards the end of December 2022, the couple called him to enquire about his whereabouts when he failed to return their calls. The couple was shocked to learn that Chiloba had been murdered in cold blood and that the main suspect was Lizer, his roommate.

The couple mourned Chiloba's murder through a Facebook post.

"Our hearts are broken. Will give more details when we can share more. Please pray for us,” Donna said on her Facebook page.

On social media, Chiloba not only came out as a fashionista but also as someone who promoted LGBTQ+ rights.

Residents of Chebisaas and Chepkoilel area who knew Chiloba and spoke to Citizen Digital described him as a jovial, yet a reserved guy who loved his dog and had a unique sense of fashion that made him stand out.

"We knew Chiloba very well. He travelled in our matatus a lot. He liked our vehicles a lot. We as Uasin Gishu residents condemn those who did this to him. It is a bad picture for us,” Kevin Chumba, chairman of the Chep matatu sacco, said.

An autopsy conducted by government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor on Wednesday showed that Chiloba died through smothering when three pieces of socks were inserted into his mouth and his nose was covered with a piece of jeans.

Oduor further said there were no physical injuries on his body, contrary to claims that his eyes were gouged out. He said further tests will be conducted to ascertain if he was drugged before he was killed.

On new year's eve, Chiloba was filmed in one of the entertainment joints in Eldoret having fun with friends and wishing his fans a happy new year.

On December 29, 2022, Chiloba shared a short video on his Instagram account giving a recap of how the year had been for him and the plans he had for 2023. Lizer was filming and asking the questions.

Lizer: How was your 2022?

Chiloba: My 2022 has been amazing, I achieved a lot and we thank God.

Lizer: Did you achieve some of your 2022 resolutions?

Chiloba: Yeah I did achieve a lot, some I didn’t but hopeful 2023 will be wow!

At some point, Lizer asks him about some of the amazing people he met in 2022. Chiloba goes on to mention people like Michelle Ntalami, Fena Gitu and Nick Ndeda.

Lizer then asks; "what about me?" followed by a cheeky giggle. "Of course," Chiloba reminds him that he has been amazing to him because he has a kind heart. 

While Lizer is said to have confessed to the investigating team that he killed Chiloba for cheating on him, their friends believe there is more than meets the eye in this matter.

Everybody is waiting to see what investigations will yield.