Youth mob force circumcision on four men

By Samuel maina

NAIROBI, Kenya- Four men all in the 40s are nursing severe wounds in hospitals in Kenya after they were forcibly circumcised by groups of youths taking part in circumcision celebrations in Bungoma district of western Kenya.
The men’s only crime was to be unfortunate enough to belong to two Kenyan communities that do not perform the rite on their men and to live in the midst of the Bukusu tribe of western Kenya, that is now at the peak of initiating its youth into manhood.
James Omondi, Ken Onyango, Dennis Omira and Peter Orekeng , were forcibly made to face the cut in the past four days after they each separately were accosted by hordes of youth accompanying fresh initiates, home after undergoing the rite of passage at a river in Bungoma district.
The first three are Luos from Nyanza province near the shores of lake Victoria while the fourth is Turkana whose traditional homeland is near the Kenya -Ethiopia border.
The first to fall victim was Omondi who met the dancing and well-armed youths accompanying, two initiates home on the morning of August 18 from Kimilili River on the outskirts of the kimili Township.
Onyanga who is well known to some of the young men was “arrested” for not being an “adult” and an impromptu fundraising was organized to pay the village circumciser. In less than 30 minutes he was taken to banks of the river where he was promptly operated and is now nursing wounds at home after being admitted at local government hospital with a grievous wound on his male organ.
“The traditional “surgeon” used a sharp knife to operate on me [and] it was the worst experience of my life, the pain was severe and unforgettable” he said from his single- roomed house in Kimili township.
Though unwilling to discuss the humiliating experience of being striped naked and circumcised in front of cheering teenagers old enough to be his sons the 43 year old father of three said he had not reported the matter to police, saying he wanted to forget the experience as soon as was possible.
The second victims to face the knife were Onyago and Omira both blacksmiths at the township.
The two who live away from their families, share a room and it is from this room that they were flushed out by youths at around 5.20 am last Friday, the 19th of august.
They were both beaten up and taken to a local surgeon who operated along the Kimili river banks in this circumcision season and operated on only to be abandoned after they were dumped back in their room an hour and half later.
“ We were left to fend for ourselves in the house after undergoing excruciating bleeding after being operated without any form anesthesia” said a bitter Omira.
Peter also met the same fate on the same day after he was fished from a local homestead where he worked as a herdsman and taken before the same “surgeon” who promptly turned him into a “man fit enough to live among the Bukusu”.
They had to seek help to have the wounds dressed at Kimilili hospital, before reporting the matter to police.
Police say they are looking for the youths who are wrecking havoc among non Bukusu men who are now being forced to flee the area until mid-September when the circumcision season is over.
Police in Bungoma on Monday said that when arrested the youths will be charged with assault and causing grievous bodily harm which attracts up to 10 years imprisonment.
August is month of festivity in the Bukusu community, where all youths aged between 13 and 16 face the knife at the hands of traditional circumcisers.
A number of youths are nursing wounds in hospitals after a number of them developed severe bleeding after undergoing the rite.
Youths who prefer going to hospital for the rite are shunned and mocked by their peers and cannot belong to the age group of those who braved an early morning operation at local rivers.
As such two cases of boys who went against the will of their parents faced the traditional surgeon have already been reported this school holiday.
Efforts by the church, the government and Ngos to have the community abandon traditional method in favor of hospitals have fallen on deaf years.
The proponents of a switch to modern ways abhor the high costs and risks associated with traditional way of circumcision.
About Ksh 30,000 is spent by poor families in western Kenya to pay the circumciser, slaughter a bull for feasting and cash and livestock rewards to initiates not to mention the traditional busaa liqour that must flow for close to a whole month.
Politicians in the region however fearing antagonizing their voters support the tradition, often contributing generously to make the festivities a success. •