Kenyan women's rights activists have condemned parliament for watering down a new sex crimes law

BBC News:

The bill was passed but key sections to outlaw marital rape and female genital mutilation were scrapped.

Campaigner Anne Njogu told the BBC it was "obscene" that women found to have made false rape accusations now face the same sentences as rapists.

The month-long debate of the Sexual Offences Bill saw bitter exchanges and a walk-out by female MPs.

The bill, which still has to be signed into law by President Mwai Kibaki, introduced minimum sentences for rape and widened the definition of rape to include offences against men and boys.

Many Kenyans are alarmed by a huge rise in the incidence of sexual abuse.

Ms Njogu, director of the Centre for Women's Rights Education and Awareness told the BBC's Network Africa programme that the bill had been changed because Kenya's parliament is dominated by men.

"It is the same chauvinistic, paternalistic, very, very parochial attitudes towards women," she said.

"As far as men are concerned, rape is about sex but you and I know rape is not sex."

MP Kenneth Marende said he welcomed the dropping of the marital rape clause.

"Kenyans can still have sex with their partners even when they are asleep so long as they are married," he told parliament.

During the debate, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua said the introduction of tough sentences for false accusations would discourage women from going to the police after being raped.

Assistant minister Beth Mugo said the final version was a "shell of the bill".

Kenya passes laws to fight "epidemic of rape"