- However, there are other people who preferred the procedure for medical reasons, others simply didn't want more children.
- "My father said that was not an African way of living, my friends added that I won't perform well in bed."
I now have seven children with five baby mamas. It has not been easy managing all the drama, and when I heard about the vasectomy process, I embraced it wholeheartedly.
These were the exact words of Owen Mwanesi, a city taxi driver who says not many African men believe in the procedure as it is termed as a taboo, some told him that the procedure would lower his sexual drive.
"When I disclosed to my father and brothers that I have undergone the vasectomy procedure, they didn't speak to me for months, my father said that was not an African way of living, and my friends added that I won't perform well in bed," he said.
Mwanesi says the procedure has really eased his life, especially now that the economy does not allow him to have more children.
"I am a man, and abstinence has never been my priority, trust me, I am happy and have no stress about getting someone's daughter pregnant. I don't have the money to raise more children, the seven, however unplanned are enough."
He said the procedure cost him around Sh170,000, it was performed in Nairobi.
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure to cut or seal the tubes that carry a man’s sperm to permanently prevent pregnancy.
In Kenya, the procedure costs around Sh150,000 to Sh300,000.
Vasectomy can be reversed, but it is not guaranteed.
“If a reversal is carried out within 10 years of your vasectomy, the success rate is about 55%. This falls to 25% if your reversal is carried out more than 10 years after,” this is according to UK's National Health Service.
However, there are other people who preferred the procedure for medical reasons; others simply didn't want more children.
Peter Otieno opted for a vasectomy after his wife, Mary developed health complications as a result of the birth control methods she was using.
"My wife gained weight, she couldn't breathe well, she became diabetic, and at times, her sex drive dropped, I suffered as a man," Otieno narrated.
In February 2018, Otieno and his wife visited a doctor and were advised on other alternative family planning methods during which the vasectomy stood out for Otieno.
"I love my wife, and the only solution at this point was to end her family planning method and find an alternative."
After several months of research, critical thinking, and having discussions with his wife, Otieno secured an appointment at a hospital in Germany.
"My wife was not for the idea of vasectomy, she wanted us to practice the withdrawal method, but as a man, it is not possible," he said.
They have two children aged 9 and 7 years, the wife, says she wanted to have four.
"My dream was to have four children, and when Otieno brought up the idea, I was heartbroken, I wanted to get pregnant with twin before he went for the procedure, but all were in vain," she narrated.
Peter had a successful procedure and does not intend to ever reverse it.
"Two children are enough honestly, I want to give them the best life, I also want to enjoy life without thinking of other dependants."
These two are not the only men who have opted for a vasectomy, according to the ministry of health, at least 500 Kenyan men had undergone the procedure as of September 2022.
Kenyan DJ Moz has also come out to declare that he had undergone the procedure.
"I'm married and I have been for 13 years. The reality is that the burden of family planning had always been on my wife. My wife had been on the pill for the longest time and it was also not good for her and I knew it was affecting her," he said.
Former Radio Presenter and Actor Nick Ndeda has also had a vasectomy, however, he is not yet married.