Time to change how communities practice male circumcision

For long, male circumcision has been practiced religiously and with pride. However, numerous cases of death after circumcision have been recorded. In most cultures in Kenya, boys undergo the cut while aged between 10 and 13, mostly during school holidays. In Kalenjin land, the boys’ families are advised to budget for their boys’ meals through their stay at a secluded area known as Menjo. The boys are then taken to a designated area in the village where they are circumcised.

I recall once getting a glimpse of the cultural events that take place during that time. We used to help deliver meals to our paternal cousins after they were circumcised and would drop them off about five minutes away from their secluded area, as it was considered taboo to get too close, especially before the boys had healed. The boys a.k.a ‘tarusiet’, would cover themselves with traditional ceremonial attires and paint their bodies with ashes or mud, which symbolises their transition into manhood and protection throughout the ceremony. The sight was intimidating and the boys would run around the village chanting.

The older people would warn us that if we stared at them too much, they would come for us at night, as they were referred to as chemosi’or ‘ogres’. This was a way of instilling fear and respect for initiates. Before the boys were circumcised, we were allowed to attend one of the ceremonies in a small thatched house filled with smoke and packed with people singing and chanting. After the initiation, the boys would graduate in uniformed attires having gained weight and grown taller.

Traditional surgeons

While it is important to preserve our culture, it is equally essential to acknowledge the potential dangers associated with certain rites of passage. In recent years, the number of deaths from botched circumcision has been on the rise. In 2023, for example, 10 boys in Uasin Gishu County lost their lives due to complications from poorly performed procedures. Due to tough economic times, many parents and guardians opt for cheaper traditional surgeons who lack proper skills, which contributes to infections at the wound site. In some cases, the boys contract pneumonia due the cold in the bushes.

Another negative consequence of traditional male circumcision is the rise of misogyny which has become increasingly evident in the Kalenjin community. A worrying trend dubbed ‘I survived a Kalenjin man’ has emerged on social media and another ‘kips are reserved for cheps’ which suggests that Kalenjin men mistreat women to boost their egos. Some men also refer to their wives as children, using the term ‘tibik’, which is both disrespectful and demeaning to women. It seems these negative attributes are taught during menjo.

They say mwacha mila ni mtumwa. However, in today’s world, it is crucial to move away from such outdated and harmful practices. Society needs to borrow a leaf from the western model of infant circumcision while focusing cultural teachings to empowering men to become better husbands, fathers and morally upright members of society.

I urge legislators to come up with laws that regulate this rite of passage to ensure it evolves in a way that promotes respect, equality and dignity for all individuals.

Ms Tanui is a communication specialist. debbiesharon2@gmail.com