Pro-abortion law opposed

• Ms Ndung’u believes that abortion is more of a health issue.
• The Catholic and the Methodist churches as well as the Muslims have strongly opposed to the proposed law
• Fida: A statement by a pregnant woman that her pregnancy is as a result of sexual assault, rape, defilement or incest is adequate to guarantee legal abortion.

Cardinal Njue is in record telling President Kibaki, Cabinet ministers and MPs to oppose abortion as a social evil.

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And President Kibaki, a staunch Catholic, was quick to assure the religious leaders that the Government harbours no plans to legalise abortion.

The Head of State gave an assurance that majority of the lawmakers are pro-life and thus sensitive to the consequences of such legislation.

Ministers Mutula Kilonzo and Charity Ngilu and MPs Kiema Kilonzo (Mutito) and Charles Nyamai (Kitui west) believe that abortion will only be allowed in cases where it is an option to protect the life of the mother.

Moral issue

“MPs have no plans to pass a law that will encourage abortion,” says the Nairobi Metropolitan minister.

Water minister Charity Ngilu believes that fighting such social evils like abortion requires cooperation between the Government and the Church.

Although abortion is perceived by many as a moral issue, Fida insists that they propose the Bill with the interest of women who find themselves carrying unwanted pregnancies.

“As Fida, we know that this is an emotive issue. To us, this Bill has nothing to do with good or bad. It is meant to uphold the right of women in making logical choices in life,” said Fida chief executive Ms Patricia Nyaundi.

Ms Ndung’u believes that abortion is more of a health issue.

“It is not a matter of giving women the permission to decide whether to abort or not, it is about legalising abortion to improve their physical and mental health,” she said.

Hypocritical

She further said that those opposing the legalisation of safe abortions are hypocritical and should stop reacting as if they are living in a different world.

According to Fida, passing the Bill will reduce the number of abortion-related deaths occurring in Kenya since women will be able to procure safer abortions under medical supervision.

But Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale cautions that the Bill will not see the light of day.