Yesterday, KTN highlighted the heartbreaking story of Elijah Zachary Lemayan who was denied a chance to attend a primary school in Kajiado County over his HIV status. Like any school-going 12-year-old, Elijah, who has become a symbol of hope in the face of the devastating Aids disease ravaging villages in Africa, wanted to go to school to learn and pursue his dream career. He was denied that chance because of a condition that is not of his making; his mother infected him unknowingly while breast-feeding.

One wonders how many students have been turned away elsewhere because they are HIV-positive. Needless to say, nobody should be discriminated against because of their HIV status. Elijah’s mother has exposed the stigma at the school, but many others across the country lack the courage to do the same.

One of the biggest hurdles that the world had to overcome after the discovery of the Aids-causing virus was how to tackle stigma. In fact, stigma is blamed for most of the needless deaths in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Those with Aids were ostracised from society. But the tide has been changing. With the discovery of anti-retrovirals, contracting HIV stopped being a death sentence. Society started loving and embracing the affected, but it is acts like those Elijah has been subjected to that turn back the clock. That should not be allowed.

Simply put, the right of a child to education should not be tied to their HIV status.

Athletics
Watch out for improved times at Lukenya marathon on Sunday
Rugby
SCHOOLS: Maseno School renew rivalry with St Mary's Yala in rugby
Hockey
SCHOOLS: Ng'iya Girls, Ageng'a Mixed, Kisumu Girls and Nyamira headline hockey
By Mose Sammy 11 hrs ago
Golf
Ireland Brendan wins Nakuru Captain prize