This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
On August 15, 2019, a statement from the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) group sparked debate across various platforms. The group plans to conduct a three-month exercise in Kisumu, Migori, and Homa Bay to inspect men and determine if they are circumcised.
The exercise, sponsored by the US government and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), aims to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region and establish the number of circumcised men. However, those trained for the exercise will only inspect men who are willing to participate, and those who are not comfortable will be asked to answer whether they have been circumcised or not.
Some have expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the exercise. Mbita Member of Parliament Millie Odhiambo stated that she was uncertain about the exercise since circumcision is not a constitutional requirement. Kenyan theologian and activist Reverend Thimothy Njoya also echoed these sentiments, arguing that there must be sufficient sensitization campaigns before such an exercise can be conducted.
“The exercise ought to be universal, and they should explain if they have scientific proof that circumcisions will really help in fighting the scourge since medicine is scientific, it should have a general theory that it will work,” Reverend Njoya said.
