Politics
Catholics threaten to reject Kenya draft law
Demonstrators hold banners during an anti-abortion march in Brasilia, Brazil, last year. The message on the placards reads: ‘’How can we legalise death when we want life’’. A statement from the Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC), which groups Catholic bishops, said the church will not recognise a constitution that does not protect life in all its phases. Photo/FILE
Posted Thursday, January 21 2010 at 22:10
Catholic Bishops have threatened to disown the draft constitution being discussed by MPs unless it includes a clause that clearly stipulates when life begins.
The church wants the draft that will come from the Parliamentary Select Committee on the constitution review to clearly state that life begins at conception and ends with natural death. This, they say, is necessary to prevent legalised abortion.
A statement from the Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC), which groups Catholic bishops, said the church will not recognise a constitution that does not protect life in all its phases.
“A constitution that does not protect life in all its phases is irremediably faulty and ceases to demand any recognition,” they stated.
“We strongly feel that we cannot be party to any legislation that supports a culture of death. Life begins at conception and ends with natural death and any attempt to deny this truth is wrong and misleading,” the clerics said.
Thursday’s statement, issued by 23 bishops, was signed by Rt Rev Philip Sulumeti, the Bishop of Kakamega and KEC vice-chairman, with the mandate of John Cardinal Njue, the Archbishop of Nairobi and the KEC chairman.
The Catholic Church strongly opposes abortion. Through its bishops, it presented to the Committee of Experts a memorandum with regard to Article 35 — Right to Life — stating its stand.
The statement to the CoE also said every person has a right to life, and there shall be no abortion. The PSC team meeting in Naivasha has, however, declined to insert the proposed clause.
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Submitted by gakuyuexpressPosted January 22, 2010 09:29 PM
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Submitted by Stemukindia
Every fibre of my body is catholic, but I want to say that Catholic demand makes no sense. It's doomed to fail. Why? Church and secular state are as different as South pole is from North pole. The foundation of christianity is to follow the deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, for those of you who understand the life of Christ, how many Kenyans can live like Christ for a day? my Answer; between 1-5%. My verdict; Abortions will be there till JC comes to judge us.
Posted January 22, 2010 08:33 PM -
Submitted by trewman
what the hell?something should be personal and up to every individual to descide for him/her self. Afterall, God gave us free will. This is a complicated issue that should not be allowed to contaminate the constitution making.If the catholics must be told by the constitution when their lives start, let them demand that after we have delt with the urgent matters first.please catholics batt off for now.
Posted January 22, 2010 07:33 PM -
Submitted by gathoni
please read www.antiabortionsigns.com and check out the Giant Signs Catalogue. That´s what happens with a child when aborted. And whereas the woman receives anesthetic the unborn child feels the whole pain when it´s being torn into pieces.
Posted January 22, 2010 06:42 PM -
Submitted by jnalyanya
Teach the truth? Failure to keep high moral standards of the bible results in grappling with and making concessions to a changing world? Read alternative life style (Romans 1:24-26). Abortion conflicts with the sanctity of life(Exodus 20:13; 21:22, 23; Numbers 35:16-18; 1 Peter 4:15). Our life giver is aware of a life growing in the uterus, as seen in Jesse’s wife carrying the embryo that developed, born and named David(Psalm 139:13-16; compare Job 31:15.) Bible acknowledges a fetus/embryo can die resulting in spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage/ stillbirth(Gen 31:38; Exodus 23:26; 2 Kings 2:19-21; Job 21:10; Psalm 58:8; 144:14)
Posted January 22, 2010 06:01 PM
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I hope these bishops are kidding. And as improbable as it clearly is, I doubt any group would want to be responsible for denying Kenyans the constitution they have, for so long, yearned for. The unborn do have rights to life, but 'born' Kenyans also have a right to a constitution that serves them right regardless of their religion.