Some members of public have come out to strongly criticize Parliament’s decision to reduce sentence entailed to suspects who will carry out abortion.
On Friday October 14, 2011 the amended Rwanda’s penal code which affected a number of articles amended with reduction of many sentences on specific crimes.
One of the crimes that had its sentence affected was abolition reducing its penalty from 15years to 1year.
This followed civil societies plea that sentences against abortion be removed or be reduced.
Amended penal code has been approved by the parliament and is now waiting for president’s signature to enact it.
Saraphine Mukasekuru a tigo freelancer, mother of one child at Rubangura house in the City Center expressed her dissatisfaction to the parliamentarians for adopting the reduction of sentence on abortion.
“How can they reduce the penalty against abortion like that? They should have increased it to 25years instead because based on what we hear on radios, girls in the country have resorted to abortion. Reducing the penalty is going to stimulate girls to abort like no bodies business,” Mukasekuru said.
Phillip Nahayo Manager at Nyabihu Tea Factory said; “I don’t support those amendments at all. Imagine the number of not yet born babies who are going to die because the law has been softened! I don’t support it totally. The president and other vigilant leaders should not support it too since Rwanda abolished death penalty”.
“Reducing the abortion penalty is supporting abortion indirectly. I don’t support the bill and wish that the 15year penalty stands as the maximum punishment. Tell them (government) not to change because many children will die.” Annie Uwamaliya found at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house added.
“Taking culture in consideration I don’t support this amendment on abortion. When they say that they are going to reduce the abortion penalty to 1year, they are encouraging girls to involve in sexual behaviors more. This is unfair to un-born babies.” A Nurse at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house also added.
Eric Munezero a nurse at Sun Beam Pharmacy said it would be unfair imprisoning someone who aborted having pregnanted after rape, defilement or taken advantage by men in some situation.
“My position as a born again is that the law should remain as it is. Once the government reduces the penalty, people are going to take it for granted and abort in large numbers. It is unholy to abort because it is similar to killing and God commands us not to kill. To me reducing the penalty is like stimulating girls to engage in sexual intercourse after all they know that once convicted they will spend less time in jail,” Motor-taxi rider who declined to publish his name said.
“I don’t support the idea. If I met president Kagame today, I would ask him to kindly reconsider before signing the bill and save us from the evil,” He added.
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