Opinion of citizens

Kenya is a democratic country, meaning that it is by the citizens, for the citizens and about the citizens. Therefore, i decided to interview two Kenyan citizens on the topic of abortion . here is what they have to say:


INTERVIEW

Interviewee: Ms Samara Visram , Mr Gorave Gupta

• What do you think about abortion in general, should it be allowed, legally?

Honestly, I don’t like the idea of abortion as it is like killing someone. Although, I think it should be allowed legally even if the mother or the baby’s life isn’t in danger. For example if a young thirteen year old girl was pregnant and wasn’t allowed to abort the baby all her education would have to come to an end.

No, because it is like killing a human being, equivalent to committing a murder. If we can not give a life, we have no right to take away life. It is also risking the life of the woman for she is aborting the child.

• The new constitution states that “Abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or the health or the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law.” What is your opinion on this clause?

I don’t agree with this clause as I think you should be allowed to have abortion even if it is not an emergency. I think the constitution should allow abortions but only those that have been allowed by trained health professionals.

I fully agree with the clause. An adult has to be educated enough how not to conceive, as this is no game or fun to take away the life of an unborn baby.

• Imagine the following situation; ‘a young girl, aged 11 has been raped and she falls pregnant. She is an orphan, (her parents died and her relatives abandoned her) who lives in the streets with a younger sibling and can hardly afford a meal in two days. She is an HIV/AIDS victim. She wants to abort the child because she does not have enough money to give him/her a good upbringing, and there is a high possibility of the child being and AIDS victim too.’ Do you think she should be allowed to abort the child? Justify your answer.

Yes, I think she should abort the child because it wasn’t her wish to yield the child. The fact that she is a HIV/AIDS victim and a street child makes it even more difficult to nurture a child. I don’t think it would be fair for the child and the mother to be put through this. The 11 year old girl would also have no help or doctor to assist in the nurturing of the child.

First of all it should be a law that the age of giving birth should be 18, as the girls body is only ready by then. It should be a law that no girl is allowed to give birth to a child before the age of 18. Even the government should assist in her abortion. She should also be given financial and health, and education assistance by the government, so that when she grows up, she will be able to lead a good life and will be able to nurture her kids.


• The churches in Kenya are protesting against abortion, and would not like it to be legalized, whatsoever the case, what is your view on this protest?

I think that the Members of the Churchs must have made this descision for a reason. I think they should make exceptions for this law.

If the churches in Kenya are protesting against healthy adults going for abortions, then only will I support them.

• Would you vote against the proposed constitution, because you are/ are not in agreement with the clause on abortion? Why or why not?

Yes, i would vote against the draft constitution as this is a major problem in our country due to the poverty levels. I believe that this issue needs to be sorted as many children who are experiencing poverty are raped/sexually abused and it wouldn't be fair to put them through such a tough phase (giving birth) at this age.

No, I would not have voted against this constitution despite the fact I am not in agreement with the clause on abortion because I am in agreement with the rest of the changes in the constitution, such as the clause on land ownership.


• There was an article in Daily nation online in April 11th that pressed on the opinion that the riots on abortion prove that we are a nation of hypocrites. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

I think these people are just expressing their thoughts and feelings, they have a right to although they shouldn’t go to such extents.

Yes, I do agree with this, for why should the death of a person is the biggest event of their life and not their birth? And why are the majority of the people rioting against this clause man, despite the fact that abortion is not as easy as loosing a tooth, it takes time for the mother to deal with the circumstances and finally come to a conclusion.

• In the Sunday Nation, on May 1st, there was an article which stated that a Washington-based anti-abortion group says that it is donating ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ to help defeat Kenya’s proposed constitution. What is your opinion about this?

I think that the Government may not allow this to happen since the aim is to defeat the draft constitution.

I think that the people of Kenya should reject such interference to their own thoughts and should be allowed to make up their minds on their own. In a nutshell the government should not allow the group to finance opposition to this single clause of the constitution and thus risk defeating the total draft constitution.

• Do you think that abortion should be allowed, if the birth of the baby will affect the mother’s mental/ physical health? Why or why not?

Yes, I think it should be allowed as if the doctor knows that it is going to affect the mother’s mental/physical health it is not worth having the baby. The mother may not be able to get pregnant again if she has had to abort a child because of a reason like rape.

Yes, abortion should be allowed especially if it can guarantee the health of the mother because the mother is already a fully grown human being and the child has just been conceived, thus we do not know how the child id going to grow up ( without a parent, health problems etc…)

• In your opinion, should the age and the financial status of the mother- to-be taken into consideration whilst making the decision on weather the abortion should be passed as legal?

Yes, I think those are some of the most factors that need to be taken into consideration as one who is experiencing poverty won’t be able to give absolute care to their baby.

Yes, but it should be limited to the health aspect of the mother and a legal child-bearing age should be set because of the body limitations of under aged girls.

• Despite the fact that no male will ever know or experience menstruation, pregnancy, or the hormonal changes associated with menopause. They can never really understand the joy — or pain — of giving birth. And almost all the people campaigning against abortion are-men. Don’t you think that this is pretty ironic? Why?

I think that some of the men may have campaigned against abortion due to this fact. Some may also consider the fact that every time you abort a child, you are killing a person.

Given the above statement strongly supports women to take the decision for / against abortion, it is indeed ironic, however the men are perceived to be the bread-winners of the family and in such cases it may be their economic outlook or just their male egoism that drives them to be against abortion.