Reproductive Health bill is unconstitutional, Catholic Bishops say – KBC

The Catholic Church now wants the controversial Reproductive Health care bill of 2019 by the Senate shelved because it is against the constitution of Kenya.

In a statement issued by Nakuru Bishop Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia Makumba the Church described the planned legislation as a cheap attempt to auction Kenya to pro-life activists.

“We shall seek to defend the right to life, the dignity of children and the family as an inseparable unit,” Muhatia stated.

Consequently, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) will lobby the Senate to reject the Bill and shame those pushing for its enactment.

“We should be careful not to sell our country at 20cents to mercenaries of antilife.” The Bishops said while urging stakeholders to reject the bill.

The bill proposes to facilitate the provision of adolescent friendly reproductive health and sexual health information and education.

Muhatia said the Ministry of Education should ensure sex education is offered to children in the appropriate manner and at the right age.

“We shall advocate for the responsibility of the Ministry of Education through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development(KICD) to provide age appropriate and value based human sexuality education to learners.”

Muhatia spoke on Sunday during a live Holy Mass at the Holy Family Basilica aired on KBC Channel 1.

The clergy from various denominations have rejected the bill saying it advocates for immorality and sexual evils in the society.

The Bill also obligates national and county government to provide contraceptives and family planning services, including contraceptive options, counselling, information and education.

It also seeks to guarantee confidential, comprehensive, non-judgmental and affordable reproductive health services to adolescents between 10 to 17 years of age.

The Bill further provides that such information would not require the consent of the adolescent’s parent or guardian.

This however, has not gone well with the clergy and most parents and still remains a hot debate in the country with the increased number of teenage pregnancies.