Kenyan 'Moral Police' Ezekiel Mutua Bans Marie Stopes, Cooking Oil TV Ads over Abortion and Sexual Content

Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) chairman Ezekiel Mutua, dubbed "Kenyan moral police", has banned Pwani Oil’s Fresh Fry cooking oil and Marie Stopes television adverts for contravening the law.

KFCB saysthe cooking oil's advert has been banned for exhibiting sexual content during watershed hours while the Marie Stopes ad has been proscribed for promoting abortion.

Marie Stopes is an international non-governmental organisation that advocates for safe abortion. It provides contraception and safe abortion services in 37 countries around the world for free.

The Fresh Fry Advert features a woman who seductively touches a man on the sea shores while the Marie Stopes Advert promises relief for women with unplanned and unwanted pregnancies- suggesting abortion.

Mutua says the two ads were not submitted to KFCB for vetting before being aired. Falirue to do so could have the two firms slapped with a fine of Sh100,000 each or a 5-year jail term or both.

“The Board also demands that Marie Stopes issue a public apology for airing such content without submission for examination and classification,” said Mutua in a statement.