Captain Kungu Muigai National patron Kiama Kia Ma with other officials addressing journalists.
By Felix Njenga
Worth Noting:
- The disagreement between the elders on circumcision has been occasioned by the change of education system from 8-4-4 to the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) by the government which keeps boys still in primary school.
- “As elders we do not circumcise boys because of CBC, we circumcise because they have attained the age. We will not disrupt this norm,” he said.
- He added that the boys are already prepared in their minds that they will be circumscied this year and when denied the chance some might end up committing suicide while others will attempt to circumcise themselves as they do not want to be left behind by their predecessors who might laugh at them which may lead to stigmatization.
The Kikuyu Council of Elders Kiama Kia Ma cultural outfit has differed on the circumcision of boys this year with one group suspending the ceremony while another group insisting that the ceremony will go on.
According to Captain Kungu Muigai, the national patron Kiama Kia Ma while speaking in Juja where a meeting of elders drawn from 8 counties from Mt. kenya region was held to discuss various matters, the ceremony will go on as scheduled where boys who clear grade eight while attaining age 13 and 14 years get to undergo the rite of passage.,
“Today we met all chairmen drawn from eight counties accompanied by elders who are mandated to conduct circumcision exercises and we agreed that this year we will conduct the circumcision ceremony,” the national patron said.
The disagreement between the elders on circumcision has been occasioned by the change of education system from 8-4-4 to the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) by the government which keeps boys still in primary school.
“As elders we do not circumcise boys because of CBC, we circumcise because they have attained the age. We will not disrupt this norm,” he said.
He added that the boys are already prepared in their minds that they will be circumscied this year and when denied the chance some might end up committing suicide while others will attempt to circumcise themselves as they do not want to be left behind by their predecessors who might laugh at them which may lead to stigmatization.
He said that this year’s age set will be called Gen Z which will relate with saying that boys now men will be well prepared on how they will conduct themselves while in primary schools continuing with their studies.
“The elders will educate and instill morals and discipline to the young men who will be circumcised such as not to engage in early sex, respecting younger pupils in school, drug usage and how to conduct themselves while in primary school,” he said.
He called upon the elders who are mandated to conduct the circumcision ceremony to prepare themselves for the occasion and also called on parents to present their sons to the elders once the occasion arrives.
A splinter group led by Thiongo wa Gitau titled ‘Muthamaki’ in the elders hierarchy while speaking in Subukia, Nakuru county during a Kiama Kia Ma meeting said that as elders they will not conduct the circumcision ceremony this year which will be conducted next year.
“We are saying that we will not circumcise our boys this year and will be circumcised next year,” Thiongo said.
Mwaniki Nguri, an elder said that in the Kikuyu culture when there was an indecisive matter there was suspension of the matter until a clear solution was met.
Njoroge Muchiri Chairman kiama kia Ma Subukia said that investigations and consultations are still going on and elders are collecting views from parents over how circumcision should be conducted in the wake of new CBC curriculum which is still domiciled in primary schools.
The elders said that it is the decision of parents to circumcise their boys this year but they will not be involved.
In 2022 in a statement read by national chairman of Kiama Kia Ma elders Ndung’u Gaithuma in Nyeri town adjusted the circumcision age of boys from 14 to 12 years.
A section of parents who have boys who have attained the age of circumcision have said that it will be their decision to make for their boys once the time comes.
The elders have also continued to differ with the church on circumcision, remaining adamant that the ceremony should only be conducted by the elders and the church to stick to its religious doctrine.
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