Kenya's laws only allow abortions for medical reasons, not simply for "choice".
Exposing the illegal abortion agenda.
In a significant development Marie Stopes International has been banned from offering abortion services in Kenya, and has been reprimanded for breaking the Republic's laws.
The declaration came from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB), after a public outcry over the fact that Marie Stopes Kenya's advertisements promoted abortion, which is largely illegal in the country.
Promoting abortion
The KMPDB convened a Special Preliminary Inquiry Committee after attention was drawn to the fact that Marie Stopes had adverts running on various radio stations, despite a ban on all abortion advertising by the Kenya Film Classification Board.
The complainant in the case is Ann Kioko of CitizenGo Africa, which had run a petition calling on the Health Secretary to investigate the adverts and ban Marie Stopes from operating in Kenya. She gave evidence of adverts promoting abortion on radio, newspapers and social media, and said she had personally called Marie Stopes' switchboard and been told that she could have an abortion for 5000 Kenyan shillings (£38).
Safe for who?
Revealing just how long Marie Stopes has been flouting the law in Kenya, a woman testified that she was given an abortion at a Marie Stopes clinic in Nairobi 22 years ago. She said that the abortion had led to "profound psychological and spiritual effects" that she battled with for years. An obstetrician reminded the committee that the constitution of Kenya recognises the right to life and that life begins at conception. Dr Ngare also said that the World Health Organisation gives no definition of "safe abortion" that Marie Stopes claims to provide, not least because abortion is never safe for the unborn child and the women who suffer psychological trauma.
The Chairman of Marie Stopes Kenya admitted running adverts promoting "safe abortion" and said they did not halt them as they had not received the letter from the Kenya Film Classification Board instructing them to do so. This statement was contradicted by a representative from the Board, who said that the Country Director of Marie Stopes Kenya had acknowledged receipt of their letter.
Deceitful, erroneous or misleading information
The KMPDM ruled that Marie Stopes had breached advertising rules in and was in violation of the prohibition against propagating "deceitful, erroneous or misleading information". They also noted with concern that the advertising campaign targeted young people between 14 and 25 years old.
The Board decreed: "Marie Stopes Kenya is hereby directed to immediately cease and desist offering any form of abortion services in all its facilities within the Republic of Kenya." Marie Stopes was also instructed to file a weekly report on all services rendered in its facilities for 60 days, and to separate its health service delivery function from its advocacy programme.
Marie Stopes has been shamelessly disregarding local laws to push their abortion agenda on Africa for decades. It is good to see the people of Kenya fighting back, and exposing their deceitful practices.
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