Kenya 1999 Population and Housing Census-Analytical Report on Fertility and Nuptiality

In Kenya, fertility increased rapidly during the 1960s and 1970s, culminating in the highest ever recorded total fertility rate (TFR) of 8.0 in 1979. The increase was attributed to improvement in the standard of living, low contraceptive use, low age at marriage and high value accorded to children. These demographic trends posed diverse challenges to the Government in so far as provision of basic needs was concerned. In fact, the introduction of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) during the 1980s compounded these challenges.