Kenya’s bishops decry international push for contraception

July 31, 2012

The bishops of Kenya have decried renewed international efforts to promote contraception in Africa.

Contraception, the bishops write, “is both dehumanizing and goes against the teaching of the Church, especially in a country like Kenya where a majority of the people are Christians and God fearing. It already threatens the moral fabric of the society and is an insult to the dignity and integrity of the human person.”

“The drive by foreign agencies, whose motives we hardly comprehend, to target millions of girls and women in Africa for the artificial family planning program by the year 2020 is unimaginable, dangerous and could lead to destruction of the human society and by extension the human race,” the bishops said in a statement.

“We cannot allow our country to be part of an international agenda, driven by foreign funds and by so doing, losing our independence and our African values of the family and society,” the bishops continued. “The same foreign forces are dedicating billions of shillings promoting same-sex unions while millions of women across are dying due to lack of proper maternal care facilities.”

The bishops added:

We would like to remind the government of Kenya that many countries which took such decisions are now regretting with declining populations and nobody to consume or enjoy the much­ hyped development. This obviously means that strategies were drawn to develop countries without consideration of the centrality of the human person, the reason for any development.

We the Catholic bishops in Kenya warn all Kenyans and the government that any development which does not protect the human person is meaningless and in vain. What is the use of development without all people and visions without values? Any development must be for the common good of people, as their security and protection.

It is not clear why such a large amount of money (Ksh 356 billion) is being used for contraceptives while many women are dying daily due to lack of proper medical care, food and housing. If such money or a portion of it was used to develop the underdeveloped parts of Kenya, the so-called threatening population of 64 million people in the year 2040 would be too low.

At a time when our people are greatly affected by HIV/AIDS and preventable road carnage, we cannot go further to condone efforts at reduction of life.

“The Catholic Church in Kenya believes that 64 million people are not too many, with proper planning where corruption, nepotism and individual egoistic trends are absent and a responsible government is in place,” the bishops continued. “There are other efficient ways of proactive and responsible parenthood through the practice of Natural Family Planning. This of course demands discipline through abstinence, which is a necessary value in married life. This should not be rubbished as impossible.”

 

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Further information:

• Let us uphold human dignity (Kenya Episcopal Conference)
• Bishops Oppose the Global Contraceptives Programme (CISA News Africa)
• China Donates Contraceptives to Kenya (CISA News Africa)
• Kenya joins global birth control push (Africa Review)