•Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The current debate that is even causing fist fights as per TV news yesterday has to do with legalization of abortion. Both KTN and NTV last evening in their 9PM prime news opinion poll had the same question: "Should abortion be legalized?" Viewers voted Yes/No via SMS.
I followed both stations' results at the end of the news bulletin.
KTN viewers voted:
Yes - 15%
No - 85%
whilst NTV viewers voted:
Yes - 15%
No - 85%
Interesting to note that same question got similar results. The polls are not scientifically representative of Kenyans views but are indicative of Kenyans antipathy to the abortion debate.
The abortion debate meeting where pro-life activists engaged their pro-abortion counterparts in fist fights was organised by the human rights commission under a theme of women should have the right to choose. Asst minister for Public Health Dr. Enoch Kibunguchy -a gynaecologist turned politician- even admitted to having performed an abortion. He shares similar sentiments to legalization of abortion as his boss Charity Ngilu whose attempts to introduce abortion debate earlier in her tenure with a leaning to have it legalized hit a dead end.
One of the "lesser" contentious issues within the Wako draft constitution that was overwhelmingly rejected in the 2005 constitution referendum was a "backdoor" to legalization of abortion. The rejected constitution stated that life begins at inception. It went further to state that abortion is not permitted except as provided in an Act that was to be legislated by Parliament. Therein - in the Act to come- supposedly lied the trojan.
Kenyans are largely and religiously conservative. Issues like abortion are clamped in the same realms with homosexuality and to an extent prostitution where despite the fact that they happen in broad daylight in full view and participation of those who reject them, writing them into law is viewed like sending the Kenyan soul directly to hell without the benefit of a sojourn in limbo where destination-hell is fifty-fifty.
I followed both stations' results at the end of the news bulletin.
KTN viewers voted:
Yes - 15%
No - 85%
whilst NTV viewers voted:
Yes - 15%
No - 85%
Interesting to note that same question got similar results. The polls are not scientifically representative of Kenyans views but are indicative of Kenyans antipathy to the abortion debate.
The abortion debate meeting where pro-life activists engaged their pro-abortion counterparts in fist fights was organised by the human rights commission under a theme of women should have the right to choose. Asst minister for Public Health Dr. Enoch Kibunguchy -a gynaecologist turned politician- even admitted to having performed an abortion. He shares similar sentiments to legalization of abortion as his boss Charity Ngilu whose attempts to introduce abortion debate earlier in her tenure with a leaning to have it legalized hit a dead end.
One of the "lesser" contentious issues within the Wako draft constitution that was overwhelmingly rejected in the 2005 constitution referendum was a "backdoor" to legalization of abortion. The rejected constitution stated that life begins at inception. It went further to state that abortion is not permitted except as provided in an Act that was to be legislated by Parliament. Therein - in the Act to come- supposedly lied the trojan.
Kenyans are largely and religiously conservative. Issues like abortion are clamped in the same realms with homosexuality and to an extent prostitution where despite the fact that they happen in broad daylight in full view and participation of those who reject them, writing them into law is viewed like sending the Kenyan soul directly to hell without the benefit of a sojourn in limbo where destination-hell is fifty-fifty.
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3 comments:
depressing results, i think though maybe the wrong question was asked - i think its one thing to be against abortion and totally another to be against ones right to choose - i am generally against abortion at the same time i support a womans right to choose.
@anon, as in the post Kenyans are conservative and anything first anti-cultural, then anti-religion as Kenyans does not win their hearts. The way you say it, you are also not sure which way to go.
Hmm I think it should debated soberly, being passionate about some cultural beliefs is what created the whole FGM nightmare. Facts should be examined, most people who use the unit-cultural slogan are usually the most quick to stigmatise single women and will not care for children born to them. I think they should be very open-minded and look at the facts as they are.