Kisii: The government has been urged to seek local funding to implement its Population Policy on early marriages, female genital mutilation (FGM), maternal mortality, and insecurity, instead of relying solely on international organizations. Since independence, Kenya’s government has focused on population management, developing policies, strategies, and programs to address population and development issues for socio-economic growth.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during the official county dissemination of the Sessional Paper No.1 of 2023 on Kenya Population Policy for Sustainable Development in Kisii town, the Deputy Director for National Council for Population and Development, Mr. Michael Oruru, emphasized the need for the country to reduce its dependence on international funding. Oruru noted that international organizations might have shifted their priorities away from advocating for family planning, abortions, and other population issues, leading to a reduction in their support within the country.
Oruru explained that the goal of the Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2023 is to enable the country to achieve a high quality of life for its population, ensuring they are secure, healthy, broadly educated, trained, and empowered to engage in sustainable development. The Deputy Director, who is responsible for advocacy and publications at the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), highlighted that the dissemination activities are being conducted across the 47 counties to educate stakeholders on the policy’s contents and the government’s implementation plan.
In addition to the current policy paper, Oruru referenced previous policies, including the pioneering Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its Application to Planning in Kenya, and the 1984 Population Policy Guidelines. These policies provide strategic direction and a framework for coordinating and implementing population programs. He pointed out that policies need to evolve as people’s lives improve or as population density increases, which necessitates the setting of new targets and renders previous goals obsolete.
Oruru urged county governments to prioritize costed implementation of policies that directly affect people’s lives, such as reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and maternal care, rather than focusing solely on infrastructure projects. Currently, the country has achieved 67 percent costed implementation by counties, but those lagging behind are encouraged to expedite the process.
The policy was officially launched on June 6, 2024, by the Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury and Economic Planning.