leaders slam issuance of condoms and contraceptive pills to primary school pupils.

June 25, 2014

Leaders in Western region are opposed to the proposed reproductive health bill presented in senate that seeks to provide school going children with condoms and contraceptive pills saying it will be  a recipe for decay of morals and geared toward promoting sexual escapades among children.

Teso North MP Arthur Odera, Kakamega County Interfaith Association Chairman Bishop Nicholas Olumasai, Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi, and Vihiga County Knut Chairman Dickson Atsiaya condemned the bill terming it immoral and un- African.

Odera said the government should entrench sex education in the curriculum to arm children with information on sex to enable them be brought up as morally responsible citizens of this country.

He explained informing children about sex will enable them to make informed choices about their behaviours.

“The message in giving children condoms and pills is that teenage or even pre-teenage sex is ok as long as you can use a condom or a pill. This is a height of moral decadence and we will regret later if it is implemented,” observed Odera.

Bishop Olumasai said the bill is against religious, moral and cultural values of children and called for the amendments of the controversial clause.

He accused those supporting the bill as being ignorant and advocating for immorality.

“We should be teaching our children to be responsible and not how to use condoms and pills. After giving them the condoms, they will surely want to do an experiment with them.The clause should be expunged from the bill or the bill should be thrown away,” said Olumasai.

Wangwe termed the bill as morally unacceptable and vowed to oppose it saying if it’s passed, it will deny children their ability for self-control.

The MP said there is nothing good in teaching primary school children how to use condoms and other family planning contraceptives methods.

“How do you start giving a 10-years-old child a condom? I wonder what they want to achieve from this. I am totally against this bill and I think it’s unwise to even discuss it,” Wangwe told The Microscope.

Atsiaya termed the aspect of giving children condoms and contraceptive pills unfortunate and ill motivated.

He suggested that the government should instead employ professional counsellors in all public schools to offer guiding and counseling to pupils as a way of ensuring they remain morally upright.

“We as teachers will not accept that. A 10-year old is still young and tender and we will not encourage our children to access condoms. That is illogical,” observed Atsiaya.

Sabatia MP said the idea is bad for the school going children and explained that leaders should not be seen as encouraging children to engage in sexual experiments instead of education.

“Teenagers and children should be discouraged at all costs as it impacts negatively on their lives, career and morals. The issuance of condoms and contraceptives will worsen the situation,” said Agoi.

The reproductive Health Care Bill 2014 proposes that adolescent be persons aged between aged ten and seventeen.

The bill proposed by nominated senator Judith Sijeny seeks to have adolescent given access to comprehensive sexual education and services.

..ENDS…