By Micah Sali
‘Umukuuka we Bamasaaba’ III Jude Mike Mudoma has appointed a permanent a culture board that will oversee the circumcision calendar and activities related to nurturing the male child’s wellbeing before and after the circumcision initiation rite.
Mudoma said that the male child should undergo a through process before and after circumcision to prepare him to be an all round individual.
Addressing the Press on Wednesday January 24, 2024 at Malukhu in Mbale city, Uganda, his highness the king declared that August 3 2024 will be the official commencement date for the circumcision of Bamasaaba youth both in Kenya and Uganda.
The king said the circumcision calender will be conducted twice in August and December every even year like in the past but will be regulated by the culture board working closely with the central and local government functionaries to ensure order is sustained.
Umukuuka Jude Mike Mudoma addressing the press at Malukhu yesterday..
The king said that the uncoordinated movement of youths while preparing for initiation as early as January clashing with the government calendar will not be condoned by the ‘Inzu ya Masaaba Institution’ adding that individuals taking advantage of the uncoordinated program to do criminal activities will face the full force of the law.
August 3 2024 will be the official date for the commencement of the circumcision calendar of Bamasaaba in both Kenya and Uganda according to the new board which will be closely supervise circumcision calendar with the assistance of provincial administration to ensure sanity prevails.
In the past the ceremony has been overseen by a weak ad hoc committee which lacked capacity to implement regulations governing the circumcision ceremony leading to anarchy and criminal activities within the circumcision calendar.
The Bamasaaba(Bukusu of Western Kenya and Bagishu of Eastern Uganda) king said that the board will ensure that the circumcision calendar is not abused as a platform of chaos and theft,rape and other criminal activities within the community.
“Circumcision should be respected like in the past .Its not an avenue of hooligans and criminals in disguise running around playing drums,stealing property and causing havoc,” he added.
He alleged that the circumcision ceremony has been in the past hijacked by criminals to steal property and phones from people.
“As the cultural institution we are not going to sit and watch as criminals infiltrate the ceremony but we will work closely with the central and local government to ensure sanity prevails,”.
Umukuuka cautioned Bamasaaba to handle the circumcision ceremony with decorum adding that any kind of abuse and negative behavior exhibited within the circumcision calendar will attract a curse and punishment from government authorities.
“People should not take it lightly but understand that it is a ritual which is accompanied with a lot of blessings or curses if abused,”.
He called on parents of the initiates to respect the decision of the established circumcision board by allowing initiates to operate within the circumcision calendar which will be operational only in August and December of every even year.
“We call upon them(parents) to wait until August so that we can do it once and concentrate on other things rather than running up and down from January to December disrupting commercial enterprises, progressive activities as children run up and down instead of going to school, “he added.
The ‘Umukuuka’ cautioned individuals who forcefully circumcise people from other communities without their consent to desist adding that they be held responsible for their criminal actions.
“We don’t force other communities to get circumcised.We would have forced all our neighbours,the Teso and Bagwere but since its voluntary the Bagwere are now willingly getting circumcised, “said the King.
The 15 member appointed board constitutes eminent elders from Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties in western Kenya while others hail from Eastern Uganda.
The spoken of the circumcision board Joseph Weyusia said the board will ensure the new regulations are effected adding that from time immemorial,the community has been circumcising initiates who didn’t attend formal schools in June while those who attended formal school were circumcised in December.
Weyusia said that from time immemorial circumcision ceremonies have not been platforms of theft,abuse and destruction of property .
He claimed that currently the ceremony has been turned into a platform of verbal abuse and crime.
Dr Isaac Misiko the chairman of Indigenous Scientific Cultural collaboration Network (ISCRA) was appointed to represent the Kenyan Bamasaaba.
Dr Misiko operates a herbal cures clinic in Bungoma town.
