This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
Published on July 5, 2020, the Catholic Church in Kenya has expressed strong opposition to the Reproductive Health bill of 2019, citing concerns that it is unconstitutional.
Nakuru Bishop Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia Makumba described the bill as a 'cheap attempt to auction Kenya to pro-life activists,' and stated that the Church will 'defend the right to life, the dignity of children and the family as an inseparable unit.'
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has vowed to lobby the Senate to reject the bill and shame those pushing for its enactment.
The bill, which proposes to facilitate the provision of adolescent friendly reproductive health and sexual health information and education, has been met with resistance from the clergy and many parents.
According to the bill, national and county governments would be obligated to provide contraceptives and family planning services, including contraceptive options, counselling, information and education.
The bill also seeks to guarantee confidential, comprehensive, non-judgmental and affordable reproductive health services to adolescents between 10 to 17 years of age, without requiring the consent of the adolescent's parent or guardian.
