By Jeremiah Kargbo
A draft bill that would legalize abortion in Sierra Leone title “safe motherhood and reproductive health bill” is drawing strong condemnation from one of Sierra Leone’s fearless gospel preacher and televangelist, Pst. Francis A. M. Mambu and a good number of religious leaders from both the Muslim and Christian faith.
The General Overseer of the Faith Healing Bible Church worldwide, and C.E.O of Redeemer Media Network (RMN), Pastor Mambu Francis A. M. Mambu has taken forefront in strongly objecting to government’s attempts to bring back the already drafted abortion bill that failed in its previous attempts in 2015, when MPs passed an abortion law that would have legalize it, but was blocked by the then President Koroma, amidst pressure from religious leaders.
Pst. Mambu during one of his recent nationwide television and radio broadcast together with other religious leaders, appeal to President Bio to withdraw his backing of such bill, which he says undermines both the Christian and Muslim values and has potential to set a bad consequence for the destiny of the nation, emphasizing, “God from the beginning hates murder of any sorts.”
Abortion is currently illegal in Sierra Leone under any circumstances and the government keeps no statistics on abortion. However President Julius Maada Bio has given his backing to legalize abortion, when he stated recently at the 10th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights, “My government has unanimously approved a safe motherhood bill that will include a range of critical provisions to ensure the health and dignity of all girls and women of reproductive age in this country.”
The leader of the Sierra Leone for Jesus Great Redemption Crusade program, spearheading this campaign against the proposed abortion law, calls abortion murder and amounts to killing of defenseless, innocent babies during formation, which he considers a devilish act to undo the wonders of God’s work and believes it must be discouraged to avert God’s wrath on the nation.
He declared to the Minister of Health that abortion is a human rights issue. “The right to life of the unborn child is inherent to the child and precursor to all human rights,” he said. Most Muslims and Christian leaders in Sierra Leone oppose abortion, Pa Mambu asserted. Legalizing it would foster an anti-child mentality, help to drastically reduce the fertility rate, and destroy the destiny of our young girls, the pastor argued.
He concluded by urging all religious leaders to stand against the draft abortion bill by joining him in the campaign against the killing of babies in the womb in the name of civilization and President Bio not to ever sign this bill into law He quoted Exodus 1:15-21 and 20:13 of the Holy Bible, as saying “thou shall not kill.”
