The subject of male sexuality has long been shrouded by silence and secrecy in
Zimbabwe. As such, where contraceptive uptake has featured as part of social studies inquiry,
it has tended to do so in the context of a development discourse that focused exclusively on the
experiences of women. Marshaling evidence from the survey, key informant interviews, and
focus-group discussions (FGDs), this study unearthed factors underlying the uptake of maleoriented
contraceptives from men’s perspectives. This was done through an exploration of men’s
knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices pertaining to male-oriented contraceptives and an
assessment of the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of male-oriented
contraceptives. The results indicated that despite the fact that men are knowledgeable about maleoriented
contraceptives, such knowledge is not being translated into practice. Social construction
of masculinity is the primary encumbering block to the uptake of male-oriented contraceptives.
In addition, unavailability and unaffordability of vasectomy services in the Mukarati community
results in no men opting for the method. The study has thus recommended that the government
and other relevant stakeholders may formulate policies that promote information, education,
and communication pertaining to male-oriented contraceptives in order to foster the utilization
of contraceptives by men.