NAIROBI, Kenya, JULY 13, 2001 (Zenit.org).- President Daniel Arap Moi appealed to Kenyans to abstain for two years from promiscuous sexual relations to «save a generation» from being contaminated with AIDS.
The president made this appeal after the government announced that it will import 300 million condoms to combat the disease, which is estimated to kill 700 Kenyans a day, Reuters and Efe reported.
The Kenyan Health Ministry said that 2.2 million of the nation´s 30 million people are infected with AIDS.
«As president of the country, I feel embarrassed by the need to have to spend millions to import condoms, which could easily be avoided by those who are going to use them,» said Moi, who until 1999 was criticized for «not speaking out with greater clarity about AIDS.»
A month ago Moi said the death penalty should be applied to those who, knowing they have AIDS, give it to others.
The Catholic Church issued a statement affirming that «to import such a quantity of condoms implies that the government accepts promiscuity.»
Likewise, Sheikh Mohammed Dor, secretary-general of the Council of Imams, said the country is «committing suicide» by buying condoms, because it will encourage youth to experiment with sex and thus keep the AIDS problem going.
