Nairobi — A group of people living with Aids are planning to sue the government over a law that denies them life-sustaining drugs.

Ms Patricia Asero Ochieng', Ms Maureen Murenga and Mr Joseph Munyi said they had instructed their lawyers to file a petition with the Constitutional Court on their behalf, challenging the legality of the Anti-Counterfeit Act.

Under the auspices of Kenya Treatment Access Movement, the three argued that the Act threatens access to medicines for people like them.

Pressure

The Act was passed in December 2008 but has not been enacted. Its critics warned that there was pressure on the government from big industries for its urgent enactment.

"While we acknowledge the generalised problem of counterfeit products in this country, we believe this Act goes against our right to life as outlined in our Constitution," they said in a joint statement, adding that the Act had caused confusion between counterfeits and generic medicines.