Azimio la Umoja coalition leader Raila Odinga has left kenyans talking after saying that circumcision is not something that should be used to determine if someone should hold a leadership position.

Speaking during a consultation with local leaders in Teso North on Monday, the ODM boss said that most African communities do not practice circumcision and that it is a concept that was brought to the continent by Christianity.


"Circumcision is only a Kenyan Bantu thing. It is a trivial matter that came with religion. It was introduced in Kenya to the Bantus through religion. Bantus in DRC do not circumcise same as in Cameroon and South Africa. Anyone that takes circumcision seriously is a fool," said Raila

Mr Odinga stated during the revision of the Kenyan constitution in Bomas of Kenya that one of the reasons why the Teso community wanted to be split from Bungoma County was because of the chaos that occur during circumcision time.

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PHOTO | COURTESY Azimio Leader Raila Odinga

“There was a problem. The Teso said that they don’t want to be in Bungoma County because when the Bukusu are doing the circumcision, they start causing trouble by forcefully circumcising the older men from the Teso community,” Mr Odinga said.

He took use of the opportunity to criticize some of the communities who use circumcision to decide who leads them.

PHOTO | COURTESY Azimio leader Raila Odinga

The ODM leader condemned the circumcision of women in some parts of the country, calling it a wicked practice that should be punished. The ODM leader, however, promised to address the issue nationally.