China has joined Kenya’s family planning campaign by donating contraceptives worth Sh4 millions to the Kenyan government….

“We are handing the contraceptives to the ministry of health which will contribute towards achieving aspirations of Vision 2030,” [Minister for Planning Wycliffe Oparanya] said on receiving 5000 contraceptives….

[Oparanya] said that Kenya and China are cooperating in many fields of socio-economic development and that both countries are aware of the challenges of population and development.

“While China is grappling with a large and aging population, Kenya is struggling with a youth and rapidly growing population,” he said.

… [T]he government has set a target of having 52% of all women of reproductive age on contraceptives by the year 2015.

She said that current figure stands at 46% and is one of the factors behind Kenya’s high population growth.

… Catholic bishops of Kenya have strongly opposed [the] global initiative… [and] have reminded the Government of Kenya that many countries, which took such decisions, are now regretting with declining populations and nobody to consume or enjoy the much hyped development.

~ All Africa, August 2

[Photo via Bayer]