Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Leaders speak out against abortion

NAIROBI, August 9 – Debate on the sticky issue of whether or not abortion should be legalised resurfaced on Saturday, with President Mwai Kibaki terming it as unnecessary.

Speaking at Kitui High School, the President stated that abortion should not be encouraged.

He instead called on parents to exercise family planning keenly.

“There’s no need at all to preach abortion, let’s just talk to these parents to focus on family planning.”

His comments were echoed by his eminence John Cardinal Njue, who condemned abortion as immoral.

“Let this nation not ever be seen to be a country that allows and kind of legalises abortion. Let us not be enslaved by ideologies,” he stressed.

The two were speaking after the installation of Bishop Anthony Muheria as the 3rd Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui.

Cabinet Ministers Charity Ngilu and Mutula Kilonzo, who were also present, contributed to the debate by condemning abortion as dangerous.

Abortion is illegal in Kenya, and several young girls who fall pregnant get rid of the unwanted babies through back-door and mostly unprofessional abortions.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

This places the young girls at risk of death and more often than not the removed foetuses are not hygienically disposed of.

“We shall ensure that our constitution only allows abortion when the life of the child or mother is in danger. But otherwise, we cannot agree to have our children killed,” Kilonzo enunciated.

“Let’s start the work of educating our parents and children and taking better care of the young ones… Abortion is not something that should be encouraged, because if you have an abortion, you could die!” Ngilu exclaimed.

The President meanwhile has also challenged parents to mould their offspring into good citizens by inculcating high moral standards in them.

Referring to the recent strikes and destruction of property by students across the country, the Head of State said parents should not abdicate their duty of instilling discipline and moral values to guide their children’s future.

“Going out there to burn buildings, and destroy them, what kind of an act is that? We as parents must ask ourselves where we have gone wrong!”

He said that parents must admit their role in the recent unrest, which has seen close to 20 students charged in court, and several others expelled from their respective schools.

One student died in one of the arson attacks on the school dormitories.

Bishop Muheria’s installation ceremony was conducted by the Pope’s representative in the country, Bishop Allan Paul Lebeaupin, and was preceded by a special mass.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

The ceremony was also attended by Members of Parliament Kiema Kilonzo and Charles Nyamai, bishops of other Catholic dioceses in the country as well as Catholic faithful.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News