A Court of Appeal ruling in Kenya has thrown the country back into a heated debate over abortion, after overturning a landmark 2022 decision.

The earlier High Court judgment had recognised access to abortion as a constitutional right in certain circumstances. But the latest ruling reverses that position, reaffirming that abortion remains largely restricted, permitted only in limited cases where a woman’s life or health is at risk.

The decision has been met with sharp criticism from rights groups, who say it could undo important protections for vulnerable women and healthcare workers, particularly those providing post-abortion care.

According to Kenyan journalist Dennis Beru, the ruling is unlikely to settle the issue.

“This is a deeply contested space, and decisions like this tend to reopen debate rather than close it,” he said.

Legal experts expect the matter could be escalated to the Supreme Court, setting up a prolonged legal and societal battle over reproductive rights in Kenya.

–ChannelAfrica–