Nakuru MCAs 'shoot down' abortion Bill

The Nakuru County Assembly was on Tuesday forced to withdraw a controversial Bill that would have legalised abortion.

The Bill was sponsored by Elburgon Ward Rep Peter Njuguna Mwaura.

The House described the Nakuru County Maternal, Newborn Child Health Bill, 2019 as “dead on arrival”.

Speaker Joel Maina Kairu faulted the Bill, saying it was not subjected to public participation.  

“This House was not sensitised on this Bill. Last week, it was brought in the House without giving members enough copies,” said Mr Kairu.

CONSTITUTION

He added: “The objectives of the bill are against the Constitution and I approve its withdrawal.”   

The Speaker advised the sponsor of the Bill to involve MCAs before it is reintroduced to the assembly.  

Mr Kairu said the Bill had good things for maternal health and children and should be republished in an acceptable form.  

“The external forces behind this Bill should desist from sponsoring it. This House will not be used to further other people’s sinister motives,” ruled Mr Kairu.

The withdrawal of the Bill comes in the wake of opposition by the Nakuru County residents on social media.

 “This is a big win for the people of Nakuru and I commend the Nation.co.ke for highlighting the bad bill because it would have been passed if we did not escalate it on social media,” said Mr Simon Simon Sangale, a Senior Administrator of Sauti ya Wachuuzi WhatsApp Group.

 “This Bill has glaring loopholes. It seeks to introduce abortion through the back-door while sugar-coating it as termination of pregnancy. Nakuru has been known as a county of firsts and we are not ready to be the first county to legalise abortion,” said Kabazi MCA, Dr Peter Mbae.

SELLING CONDOMS

Dr Mbae faulted the Bill, saying it was against the Constitution, which guarantees everyone a right to life.

“We should stop this habit of encouraging NGOs to pollute our laws with information that is not compatible with the laws of the land. Selling condoms to children as advocated by the Bill will turn Nakuru into Sodom and Gomorrah,” said Dr Mbae.

Kwa Rhonda MCA Timothy Kabutu said Nakuru cannot legalise abortion. Subukia MCA Mary Waiganjo said life is sacred irrespective of how it starts.

“We can’t allow somebody to determine the fate of a baby, doctors should uphold the sanctity of life,” said Ms Waiganjo.

Eddy Kiragu (Flamingo) said life is a gift from God and the Nakuru County Assembly should not be the first to pass a Bill that legalises abortion.  

“We should come up with Bills that transform the lives of Nakuru residents and not NGO- sponsored Bills to kill,” said Mr Kiragu.

Nominated MCA Elizabeth Gichuki said the Bill could promote promiscuity among children.

 “Children at age five know about sex and allowing them to access condoms is unacceptable,” said Ms Gichuki.

MORALS

Nominated MCA Catherine Kamau from Molo described the Bill as a potential “killer of future generations”.  Soin MCA Irene Chebichi said it exposes young girls to early pregnancies.

“This Bill will attract quacks who will have ready clients to procure abortion.”

 Mariashoni MCA Douglas Ayabei said the Bill liberalises sex at the expense of upright morals.

Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja said: “Abortion is a crime and this Bill is sugar-coated poison and should be killed like a snake that has entered a bedroom.”

 Nominated MCA Grace Mwathi (Bahati) said the bill will encourage prostitution, sentiments echoed by her Biashara Ward counterpart Peter Njoroge.  Nominated MCA Zaituni Ibrahim said abortion is not accepted even in animals.  

“Cancer is already killing our people and now we want to kill them by legalising abortion,” said Ms Ibrahim.

Mr Erick Gichuki (Viwandani) urged MCAs not to support abortion.