The Catholic Church and Muslim leaders yesterday vowed to fight any effort by the Government to encourage the use of condoms.
The Catholic Church and Muslim leaders yesterday vowed to fight any effort by the Government to encourage the use of condoms.
They said abstinence was the only means of fighting the spread of HIV/Aids.
Kitale Catholic Bishop Maurice Crowley, who is also the vice-chairman of the education in the Church said the national condom policy was not a solution, but only a psychological position of safety, an escape from reality.
Elsewhere, the director of the Muslim Consultative Council, Mr Abdulrahaman Wandati, said Islam does not condone sex outside marriage.
"Condoms and sex outside marriage is not in our agenda. Wayward sex is an impediment to going to Heaven," he said.
Catholic Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki and the chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, Rev John Njue, were among the first to oppose the importation of 300 million condoms. The two said it was a clear way of "promoting promiscuity".
Bishop Crowley asked the Government to strengthen guiding and counselling in schools to enable the youth lead upright and moral lives.
The cleric said the condom policy would not be implemented in schools sponsored by the Church.
"We wonder why the Government does not consult other stakeholders like the Catholic Church before passing such policies," Bishop Crowley said, adding that it is only through guiding and counselling that the war against the pandemic could be won.