The Problem

Recently, the COE in the Government of Kenya wrote, and proposed a new draft constitution, which agreed on by many of the voters in Kenya. In Part 2- Rights and fundamental freedoms, in the section of ‘right to life’, in clause number four of the proposed constitution, it is stated 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 of the mother is on danger, or if permitted by any other written law.” Therefore, Abortions are illegal in Kenya under current law, but hundreds of thousands of women still seek them each year. The existing law, however, does allow a doctor to perform an abortion if a woman’s life is in danger.

Various churches in Kenya, including the National Council of Churches of Kenya disagrees to this, for they do not want abortion to be permitted in the Kenyan law, whatever the circumstances of the mother may be. in their view, it does not affirm religious freedoms and, according to their interpretation, it does not expressly outlaw abortion.An American-based group, who are also a part of the debate, and are also, like the Kenyan churches, opposing the clause on conditional abortion has donated “tens of thousands of dollars” to help defeat Kenya’s proposed constitution.
This is a problem in our nation, because it creates conflict between the christian group (which, as a matter of fact, creates a big percentage of of the citizens in Kenya), the Kenyan government. To make matters more complicated, both sides are supported by various American-based groups.