11 thoughts on “Luo Elders reject circumcision / Re: Press Release – The Misleading Call for Circumcision!”

1. Onyango Ohingo wuod Oremo K'Agolla September 9, 2008 at 10:00 pm

   Retrogressive thinking will only leave us walking with the dinossaurs as others move on. Culture is dynamic, and we must be ready to embrace all that will help us advance. Some of these elders have noxious pride that is not consistent with the changing times.

   The youth who would heed the call to take up arms and disrupt an exercise for the greater good only represent the tragedy of ignorance as a result of myopic blind allegiance. They must be stopped.
2. Ron Low September 10, 2008 at 4:49 am

   Circumcision does not prevent AIDS. Most of the half-million US men who have died of AIDS were circumcised at birth.

   In the US most adults today were circumcised, yet we have three times the rate of HIV infection that Europe has, even though circumcision is rare in Europe. In Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania the circumcised have markedly higher rates of HIV infection.

   Applause to the Lou Elders.
3. Arthur Omollo September 10, 2008 at 10:30 pm

   It has been approved that male circumcision reduces chances of contracting Hiv and aids.recent results shows that nyanza province is leading with cases of HIV and aids.To reduce stigma luos men must embrace circumcision which is done nicely in the hospitals.secondly its for the health purposes.culture aside time has come that we must make decisions concerning our lives this operations is done freely through south nyanza reproductive health care. by the support of USAID.so I Can encourage my fellow tribesmen to follow the suite and go fot it.But still after cicumcision we should abstain sexual activties till marriage,or practice safe sex by using a condom if you can not abstain.
4. Omito Kwack September 12, 2008 at 12:18 am

   I think its important to make if clear that Kalonzo and Mugo are not welcome in Nyanza and that circumcision is a personal choice and if one chooses to do it then it will be performed under the watch dog of trained Luo medics.

   We the youth of Kisumu welcome circumcision but we reject Kalonzo, he will be met with chants of, traitor! traitor!

   Circumcision is a cultural event that will unite is and it will produce a new generation of Luo warriors.

   Kwach
5. Thomas September 12, 2008 at 12:29 am

   Raila is acting Childish. His careless uterances have cost life of Luo in Bungoma.

   An 80 year old Teso man was circumcised in the name of AIDS control.

   Who tells Raila that as a Luo I do not alreadly have AIDS?

   And if I do not have it, has he in any way contributed to my health?

   Do I sleep with his wife?

   Raila thinks he will gain political mileage with Circumcision. Let him vie in Bungoma next time.
6. Omito Kwack September 13, 2008 at 7:25 am

   We have been advising youths in Kisumu to organize into youth groups and use circumcision as a symbol of unity, and self reliance.

   I dont believe circumcision will reduce the AIDS plague but I do believe that youths circumcised together have a cohesive bond between them.

   Circumcision is nothing new in Luo Nyanza, the Nomiya Church has been practicing it for decades.

   With circumcision we can usher in a new culture of self-reliance, community pride and even an age-set system that can be easily used to mobilize youths during demonstrations and violent confrontations.

   The age-sets can be taught traditional warfare and self-improvement (similar to the militant kalenjin warrior movement). Circumcision can actually work us and against “them”.
7. Okumu Kaluoch September 14, 2008 at 3:07 am

   The uncircumcised should not be forced by a government policy whose outcome are no better than the exact opposite. I agree with the Luo Council of Elders that circumcision should be a personal choice based on sound personal decision.

   The debate on the effects of circumcision on HIV transmission has been going on for quite some time. It reached a peak when a presenter at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada said the ritual of male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV by almost 60%. This was followed by several scientific publications reiterating the same findings. Following the findings, I expressed my perspective in an article published in the Kenya Times Commentary on October 13th, 2006.

   Raila Odinga, Kenya’s Prime Minister, while in Teso few weeks ago, encouraged the non-circumcising communities to adopt circumcision of males to help fight the scourge of HIV. Now he is promoting it as policy to give lack of circumcision a retrogressive cultural practice. In the whole world, there are more uncircumcised males than are circumcised ones. In most of these regions without circumcision, HIV prevalence are also not abnormally higher. What is it about the Luo?

   The current prevalent rate of HIV in Kenya is about 7.4% and it is greater than 10% in Luo Nyanza where majority of males are uncircumcised. The Luo are about 13% of Kenya’s population. That makes about 4.3 million people. Circumcision rate among the Luo is less than 10% and hence the conclusion that the high prevalence rate of HIV in the community correlates very well to the non-circumcision rate. To understand this conclusion, I’ll also share some statics from other areas. In Finland, with a population of 5.3 million and circumcision rate of less than 5%, the prevalence rate of HIV is less than 0.1%. In the United Kingdom, there is a circumcision rate of 10-15% and HIV prevalence rate of 0.2%. Both in Finland and United Kingdom, the lower the rate of circumcision, the lower the prevalence rate of HIV, while in South Africa which is inhabited mostly by the Xhosa and Zulu, the prevalence rate of HIV is about 20% and circumcision is widespread amongst this group as a rite of passage in to adulthood for males. Why then does circumcision or lack of, has different effects on HIV prevalence in these different communities?

   When the first HIV/AIDS epidemic was reported in East Africa, the epicenter was in Kagera region of Uganda which is surrounded by communities that traditionally circumcise their males. This means that there are other important factors other than circumcision that influences HIV prevalence. The effects attributed to circumcision are no better than those of alcohol which inhibits the cognitive functions of the brain thus rendering the drunk unable to be judicious when it comes to matters of bodily desire. There is however, no policy to ban drinking of alcohol. For those who want to circumcise, do so not to reduce your chances of getting HIV, but because you like it for whatever reason- be it cultural, religious or vogue. I absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed by the Luo council of Elders and other like minded people who see beyond the statistical figures.
8. Omito Kwack September 18, 2008 at 3:29 pm

   Its not about AIDS !!

   Even the Luo’s in Sudan circumcise so why not us. We will adopt circumcision as a cultural aspect not as a preventative measure against Aids. All Luo youths should circumcise and spend 2 weeks in the bush learning warfare.
9. L September 21, 2012 at 1:29 pm

   Not only the majority of Luo not circumcised,but so are many tribes in Southern Sudan,Southern Ethiopia,the majority of Malawi,Rwanda,Burundi,Botswana,Uganda,Zimbawe,Nambia ,Swaziland and many in Mozambique and South Africa including the Zulus are not circumcised .So are many of the white South Africans and Indians in Durban. so to promote circumcision on the whole Western and Southern Africa male population is stupid!!
   Plus most of us are fine ,as well as most of the rest of the world ‘s men in Europe and non Islamic Asia.So leave us alone!! circumcision is an Islamic tradition and stop trying to Islamize all.Plus it is very racists,why not promote circumciison in Europe? cause you know no one will go for it.All of the African in Western and Southern Africa should stand up and complain that our governments do not promote something backed up by Americans to make money!!
10. L September 21, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    In the whole world, there are more uncircumcised males than are circumcised ones. In most of these regions without circumcision, HIV prevalence are also not abnormally higher. What is it about the Luo?
    what happens is since the majority of tribes in Kenya circumcise:Kikuyu,Masai,Pikot they want Luo circumcised as well ,same thing happened in Southern Sudan and Southern Ethiopia till Southern Sudan gained independence,maybe we Luo region should succedd from Kenya or form our autonomous self governed region.Same thing happenned in Indonesia where the Muslims were pushing everyone to be a Muslim.Most of the world’s men are natural,normal,uncircumcised so leave us alone!
11. L September 21, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    We have been advising youths in Kisumu to organize into youth groups and use circumcision as a symbol of unity, and self reliance.

    I dont believe circumcision will reduce the AIDS plague but I do believe that youths circumcised together have a cohesive bond between them.

    Circumcision is nothing new in Luo Nyanza, the Nomiya Church has been practicing it for decades.

    With circumcision we can usher in a new culture of self-reliance, community pride and even an age-set system that can be easily used to mobilize youths during demonstrations and violent confrontations.

    The age-sets can be taught traditional warfare and self-improvement (similar to the militant kalenjin warrior movement). Circumcision can actually work us and against “them”.
    so now we know circumcision makes men more violent!! Militant Muslims!! Militant Jews!! Militant Americans!! and if there was a circumised/uncircumcised war you would be far outnumbered!!If all of China,India,Europe,Latin America,non cirucmosed Africans,etc would banned against the circumcised Africans Muslims,Jews and Americans you sure would be outnumbered 3 to 1 or more.For example if unicumcised Africans would ban together,you would have no chance!! The Luo are surrounded by uncircumcised countries:Malami,Rwanda,Burundi,Zimbawe,Uganda…so…. and we would get white South African and European and Indian and Chinese backing so…plus you should be promoting peace not war,if you had good sex like the uncircumcised you would be having sex not war over your mutilated penises!!