Abortion issue rocks Kenya

NAIROBI – A group of anti-abortion Kenyan churches and Christian groups yesterday blamed Kenya’s government for involvement in two explosions that ripped through a packed rally protesting the country’s proposed constitution.The accusation over Sunday evening’s attack could set a contentious tone between the groups supporting and opposing the draft constitution, which the country votes on in early August. The most divisive issue in the proposed constitution is on abortion, which the draft would allow to save the mother’s life.Kenya’s president and prime minister support the new constitution,  and United States  Vice President Joe Biden urged Kenyans to embrace constitutional reform during a speech here last week. But prominent politicians and Kenya’s church community want the draft defeated because of its allowances for abortion and a clause that would recognise informal courts used by Kenya’s Islamic community.“Having been informed over and over that the passage of the new constitution during  the referendum is a government project, we are left in no doubt that the government, either directly or indirectly, had a hand in this attack. Who else in this country holds explosive devices?”  said a statement signed by the National Council  of Churches of Kenya  and 14 other churches  and groups.Authorities on Sunday said five people had died, but police yesterday said they had found a sixth body – a 51-year-old man with shrapnel wounds in a car next to the park. He was believed to have been injured in the blast and stumbled to his car, where he died. (AP)