Weka condom Mpangoni?

So, PSI Kenya's more recent efforts in addressing the HIV issue among married couples was in releasing a condom ad that pretty much tells cheating spouses to use a condom. Simple enough? Not! A lot of Kenyans were outraged. 'This is promoting adultery!' they shouted. Others applauded PSI for tackling the situation head on and telling it as it is.

Well, here are my thoughts on the ‘weka condom mpangoni’ ad (I might as well enter the mix)

1.       The most effective way of avoiding HIV is staying faithful to one partner. Heck, you could even make a whole ceremony of it - you know, solemnly swear before witnesses, exchange some kind of token or something… I believe they call it marriage.

2.       Though not 100% effective, a condom is the next best thing.

3.       A decade or so of advertising condoms hasn't done much in slowing down HIV transmission, and apparently, neither has the ‘achana na mpango wa kando’ campaign. Sadly, it makes sense- persons who step out on their spouses aren't really great at decision making now are they? I guess they don’t figure that they might not be the only jerk in the equation that is cheating and hence, don’t bother with a condom.

4.       Keeping point number 3 in mind, I can therefore understand why PSI resorted to the Weka condom mpangoni advert. However, I also understand why so many people are uncomfortable with it.

        To explain this, consider these two statements:

Statement 1: (Giggle, giggle) Ati your huzzy is out of town? (more giggling)So you’re hooking up with that young nani tonight? (Furtive whisper) Haki, please, use a condom, sawa?

Statement 2: You dumb-dumb, WHY must you cheat on your spouse?! IT WILL NOT END WELL!! But at least minimize the misery that will follow by using a condom! (Muttering)Don’t go thinking that nani doesn't have a nani on the side too. Nkt.

You see? Are you getting it? The latter, while accepting that the practice of adultery happens, condemns it. The former, acts like it’s all fun and games; no wonder the public is outraged! Yet in both, the message of using a condom is still passed on. Kenyans would have received the ad a lot better if it seemed more disturbed by the fact that married couples cheat.

5.       (Yes, there is a number five) I’m still unsure that any of these tactics will work. It is my belief that not only have the masses deluded themselves into thinking that cheating on their spouses will have no great consequence on their life and their families, they have also forgotten what it means to have HIV. We receive a lot of positive messages on lives going on after getting the virus, and although this is great, it may have reduced in us the healthy fear that we should have of this disease.

    

    We aren't scared of the big bad HIV anymore.

I think a more effective campaign would seek to remind the people that we should be afraid. Sometimes, scare tactics are more efficient than anything else. I’m sure they can find a way of cramming the dramatic unraveling of one’s life as a consequence of adultery and unprotected sex into a 30 second ad. Then, after showing us the ugly side of things (read: scaring us straight), the final message could be – weka mpango kando, la sivyo, weka condom mpangoni!

P.S - if you wish to vote on the ad's effectiveness, you could do so on the PSI website http://www.psikenya.org/

End of babble