AFRICA/KENYA - Proposal to insert Constitutional clause denying that changes definition of initiation of life from conception to birth is inspired by an “anti-life mentality”

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - Strong opposition has arisen from the Church of Kenya in regards to the proposal of the Parliamentary Commission for the Revision of the Constitution to amend the clause that defines the beginning of life. Under the new proposal, the definition of the beginning of life would change from conception to birth (see Fides 25/1/2010).
Fr. Pascal Mwambi, a Kenyan priest and expert in bioethics, has sent Agenzia Fides an explanation of the religious, ethical, and scientific reasons that show the need to recognize the rights of the embryo. "The parliamentary select committee, which I believe is composed of experts from various related areas cannot affirm that life starts at birth unless motivated by other selfish motives and anti- life mentality ready to destroy many lives before birth," says priest. “Biologists, scientists and doctors should not be ashamed to affirm empirical facts about the process of new human organism right away from fertilization. After seven weeks (embryo stage),the new organism has all the organs formed awaiting gradual development...There is no single moment we can say that he or she isn’t a human person. There is a autonomous and continuous growth of the baby together with a cross dialogue with the mother who should be the first “Advocatus ventrus” (advocate of the womb) to the child.”
If the concept that life begins only at birth, implicitly denying the rights of the embryo, were to be approved, says Fr. Mwambi, "then doors are open for all manipulations, research and experiments on the embryo." Furthermore, "with the precocious (premature) diagnosis of the pregnant women, any indications of abnormalities, hereditary, genetic, chromosomal pathologies will lead to eugenic or selective abortion so long as the unborn baby is not a living person juridically recognized. The same denial will lead to medically assisted ways of fertilization which will ignore or replace the conjugal act, therefore separation between sexual union and procreation.”
“We are still at the right track so long as the draft is not yet approved. Its not a matter of just changing the clause in the draft but a matter of saving lives of future generations,” said Father Mwambi. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 5/2/2010)