Kampala — Politicians have been criticised for misleading the public on safe family planning practices.

The population secretariat director, Charles Zirarema, said Uganda's 30 million population would double in the next 20 years, which he said would have adverse implications to the economy.

Uganda's 3.2% population growth per annum is one of the world's fastest population growth rates, Zirarema said.

The seven children per woman fertility rate is also one of the highest in the world, he added.

Zirarema said a high population would increase dependency, the scramble for social services, poverty and national planning discrepancies.

"Former Luweero LC5 chairman Abdu Nadduli preached a gospel of producing many children. He said the Government will take care of them, but this is misleading," Zirarema said.

As a result of negative campaigns, 40% of women do not use family planning.

With 435 deaths per 100,000 live births, Uganda also has one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates, Zirarema said.

"We lose about 16 mothers daily. This is an equivalent to losing a mini-bus full of expectant mothers. People will make noise when a taxi kills the women but not when they die in child birth!" he lamented.

Zirarema was speaking at the annual review meeting for the Young Men as Equal Partners (YMEP) programme at the Colline Hotel in Mukono on Thursday.

The programme, funded by the Swedish Aid Agency, is implemented in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia.

Cuthbert Maendaenda, the regional coordinator, said the programme, which was to end in 2009, got an 18-month extension.

"But even when the Swedish funding ends, the project should not stop because it helps the youth develop," he appealed.