Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has launched a campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by announcing that a law is to be enacted in Parliament making it illegal to circumcise both girls and women in Uganda.
The President launched the drive on Wednesday at Amudat Senior Secondary School in Nakapiripirit district north-west of Kampala.
The function was organized to celebrate the Pokot Culture Day, denouncing FGM as well as promoting education for all children in the area.
The President said that once the law is passed, anybody who breaks it will be arrested and charged in courts of law. He explained to the mammoth gathering that turned up for the occasion that the practice of female circumcision is dangerous not only to women but also to unborn babies who could easily die during child birth because of prolonged labor caused by the destruction of elasticity mechanism. He added that most women have become paralyzed while others have died due to female circumcision.
Mr. Museveni showed the crowd one of the women victims, 44 year-old Judith Nagitare, who was circumcised in 1976 in Kapchorwa and is now confined to a wheel-chair. He pointed out that since the functions of the human body are well known, there is no reason for anyone to cut parts of others in the name of culture. He said that God made every part of a human being for a purpose.
“I use spectacles for cutting my nails, then these old women who have no spectacles cut even other parts causing harm to the victims. See that lady on the wheelchair, she is a victim of the bad practice,” President Museveni told the bewildered gathering.
He added that every part of a human body is a miracle. “The way God made it; there is no part of a human being that is useless. When I injured my figure while doing exercises, I spent weeks without doing my work normally. Now you people interfere with God’s work. Some say it is culture. Yes, I support culture that is why I restored kingdoms that were abolished by Obote. You also see my long horned cows; that is culture. But you must support culture that is useful and based on sufficient scientific information”, he said.
President Museveni further delved into the bad practices of the past like drinking unboiled milk leading to contraction of various diseases, burning of the sides of the heads claiming it cures headaches and tattooing of arms and chests.
“You must grow out of that culture that is not supported by scientific information,” he counseled.
The President pledged to support an alternative source of income for women who were engaged in the practice of circumcising girls for a living.
“I am ready to support them in doing something useful. I was supposed to be in Libya to attend the African Union meeting, but when I heard of this I had to come because it is more important,” the President told the cheering crowd.
He also expressed gratitude for the presence of a delegation of Kenyan officials from the Pokot side of neighboring Kenya led by the Minister of Information and Communications Mr. Samuel-Paghiso. He said it was a good gesture especially at this time when the talk was about the unification of Africa.
Source African Press Agency
