A section of Kikuyu elders has warned churches and hospitals that have insisted on circumcising students in 2024.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, October 29, the elders noted that some institutions have insisted on continuing with the practice despite a unanimous agreement to postpone the rite of passage.
They went on to warn that those who will engage in circumcision will be doing so for money or other personal gains, adding that the students will still not merit the transition from boys to men.
Parents have been told to engage hospitals and churches of their own volition.
“The hospitals and churches are saying that they will still do it. They will be doing that for personal gains because those boys will not have transitioned. I do not want to say that it is business, but it could be,” said an elder.
“There is no need to circumcise our boys when they are in primary school and then let them go back to primary school. It will give their teachers a difficult time because some people will still be calling them names,” he explained.
Also Read: Kikuyu Elders Consecrate New Cultural Center in Nairobi
Why Kikuyu Elders Have Suspended 2024 Circumcision
The ‘Kiama Kia Maa’ elders have indicated that the move is meant to allow the boys to complete Junior Secondary School without disruption.
Further, they have explained that the 2024 initiation for boys was suspended until 2025 when the now Grade 8 boys will be transitioning from the Junior Secondary School (JSS) to Senior Secondary School, ensuring a more natural period of maturity and transition.
By aligning the initiation with the school calendar, the elders want to preserve the cultural significance of circumcision as a rite of passage, ensuring that boys undergoing the ceremony are more prepared for the responsibilities that come with it.
“We will make sure that in 2024, circumcision does not take place. As the elders of the community, we have seen in wise to do these things when the right time comes,” added an elder.
The Kikuyu initiation rite, traditionally viewed as a key transition into adulthood, is deeply respected, with strict adherence to timing and processes.
Also Read: Boy Paralyzed after Attack in Botched Circumcision Ceremony
The new curriculum intends to improve the education system by moving away from a mere theoretical class to a more robust and practical class.
Learners will spend two years in pre-primary education, six in primary, three in junior secondary, three in senior secondary school, and another three in university (2-6-3-3-3).
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Primary school students at a past event. PHOTO/Courtesy.
