Anti-condom posters to be seized

The Aids control council has vowed to pull down all anti-condom billboards put up by the Catholic Church.

The National Aids Control Council also said it would not return a banner that had been erected by the church in Nyeri. The banner warned against condom use.

The council has demanded that the church stops its campaign against condom use or it continues to interfere with its crusade.

Catholic Church apostolate Human Life International, which had erected the banner at Whispers Park in Nyeri Town, however, vowed to continue with the anti-condom drive.

“We must have a sitting with the Catholic leadership and engage them in a conclusive debate. And it is until they promise in writing that they will stop the campaign that we are going to give them back their banner,” said NACC regional director Nelson Muriu.

He termed the message and the campaign by Human Life International as misleading to the public, adding it was taking the country back to the old days when it started fighting the spread of HIV/Aids.

Speaking to the Daily Nation on phone, Dr Muriu said the NACC had written to the organisation, requesting a meeting early next week.

“We were to hold this meeting as soon as possible, even yesterday, but we are currently held up by the polio campaign in the country,” he said.

Dr Muriu went on: “We have made a great step towards achieving ‘Zero Infection’ but the church seems to be pulling us back to 1980s. We won’t allow this to happen anywhere in this country.”

He, however, denied that the council confiscated the anti-condom banner in Nyeri.

“I heard they are saying we confiscated their banner, that is not the case we are just holding it,” he said.

Kenyans on social media have also waded into the dispute over condom use. Gatonye Ng’ang’a said: “Why would the church not want this to be the case in Kenya? Could the church come out clearly and tell citizens of this country why they do not want us to live disease-free lives?”

Human Life International director Raphael Wanjohi vowed to continue with the campaign against use of condoms.

“Come next year, as we celebrate World Aids Day, we will erect another billboard, perhaps this time with an even stronger message,” said Prof Wanjohi.