The debate on who should have a say on family planning between the woman and the man has continued to elicit mixed reactions in the community.

While a section of members of the community shy off from the debate, some have continued to air their views on the same.

Jane (not her real name), a mother of four from Kaloleni estate says the choice lies with women.

She says she did not consult her husband when she decided to get on the coil.

“It is we the women who know and understand how the different family planning methods affect our bodies. Like for my case, I just made a choice and went for what fits me,” she said.

In Rhonda estate, there is little sensitization on the importance of family planning.

The informal settlement has a huge population and here a few women understand about the family planning issue.

Ms Joyce (not her real name) spoke to Mtaa Wangu and she revealed that family planning is not an issue that can be discussed between couples as majority of men are against it.

It is for this reason that women in the area will secretly seek family planning services without the knowledge of their husbands.

“The women have a say on the choice of family planning method, but the problem here is that men oppose it. This has made women go for the methods of their choice without even informing the men,” she said.

However, Mr Sammy Kagwe, a Clinical Officer and service provider on matters reproductive health, notes that the women have a right to say choose the method they want adding that their male partners should respect that choice.

“The decision to hop onto a specific family panning method squarely lies with the couple. However, the woman should be allowed to choose the method she wants after receiving information on the existing options,” he said.

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Who should have a say on family planning methods between the man and the woman?

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Pristone Mambili