Life begins when a woman conceives

I disagree with Lukoye Atwoli in his article (Sunday Nation February 7, 2010) titled ‘Life begins at both conception and at birth’.

At the same time, the argument by some medical practitioners and Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida) members that life begins at birth is totally wrong.

Although the committee of experts and parliamentary select committee on constitution review (PSC) did not define well when life begins in the harmonised draft constitution, I do submit that life begins at conception when fertilisation takes place — the moment a woman conceives.

The threat by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) to shoot down the draft in the referendum is well timed.

According to philosophers in social education and ethics, the rite of passage of a human being begins at conception, birth, initiation, marriage and the finally death.

GIDEON CHEBII,

Eldoret