Raila: Circumcision is a small thing; shouldn’t be used to decide who leads
Azimio La Umoja leader Mr Raila Odinga has criticised some of the communities in the country who take the issue of circumcision as a matter of life and death.
Mr Odinga says that it is unfortunate that some of the communities in the country think that one should not be a leader merely because his foreskin has not been cut.
Speaking on Monday, January 15, in Teso North during the consultation with local leaders as he strengthened ground for his ODM party, Mr Odinga said that it is foolish to always think about circumcision, which the majority of the African countries do not practice.
While revising the amendment of the constitution of Kenya in Bomas of Kenya, Mr Odinga said that one of the reasons why the Teso community wanted to be separated from Bungoma County was due to the noise that comes during the circumcision period.
“There was a problem. The Teso said that they don’t want to be in Bungoma County because when the Bukusu are doing the circumcision, they start causing trouble by forcefully circumcising the older men from the Teso community,” Mr Odinga said.
He used the opportunity to castigate some of the communities that take the issue of circumcision to determine who leads them.
ODM leader said that across the border to Uganda, only two tribes practice circumcision.
“This things about circumcision is only in parts of Kenya. It is a small thing that is more of religion that came through Ethiopia, and entered Kenya through the Bantus. The Bantus in Cameroon are not being circumcised, Bantus in South Africa they are not being circumcised. So circumcision is a small thing, and anyone who takes it to be a big issue is fool.”
Mr Odinga said that it’s time that people, even a Teso, can be a leader with or without undergoing circumcision.
Also, the ODM leader condemned the circumcision of girls in some parts of the country, saying that it is an evil thing and those practicing it should face the law.