The Anglican Church supports the use of condoms in the fight against Aids.

The Council of the Anglican Provinces in Africa (Capa) Aids board has also called for an end to the discrimination against the 30 million Aids patients and their families in Kenya and other African countries.

The declaration comes as the Catholic Church and Muslims remain steadfast in their rejection of condoms as protection against Aids.

Yesterday, the Anglican Church's top continental organ also asked all member provinces to implement a pastoral plan aimed at eradicating discrimination against Aids patients.

The Church, the bishops observed, was guilty of complicity by its silence, "resulting in denial and shame".

"However, that silence is (now) ended. Our church has declared stigma as a sin before God and humankind. Henceforth, we will uphold the dignity and worth of all people as children of God and humankind, especially those living with Aids," they said in a statement read by the Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town, who is also the Capa chairman.

"We know that condoms can save lives and prevent the spread of HIV/Aids. The morality of condoms is about preserving life," he said in the statement prepared by the 12 Capa bishops from the sub-Saharan region at the end of a four-day meeting at St Julians Centre, Nairobi, yesterday.

"To sentence a person to death because of an error of judgement about sexual activity is not the way to save lives. We are human; we make mistakes and live in a fallen world," he said.

"We must ask forgiveness and commit ourselves to responsible sexual behaviour, which will go a long way in preventing the spread of HIV/Aids."

The bishops observed that Aids was killing a child daily and 400 teenagers were becoming infected every day.

The bishops also appealed to developed countries to write off debts owed by countries in the sub-Saharan region to enable them to effectively tackle the pandemic.

"We know, for example, that debt forgiveness in sub-Saharan Africa alone, could release more than $10 billion towards alleviating the pain and suffering of HIV/Aids, which the UN says the continent requires to fight the pandemic," Archbishop Ndungane said.

The bishops called on African governments to collaborate in making the fight against HIV/Aids a top priority.