KENYA: Boy bows to peer pressure, cuts himself

Cowed by his peers: foolish boy cuts part of his own genitals off

The Nairobian (Kenya)
May 8, 2014

Ready for manhood: Brave boy circumcises himself

by David Odongo
A teenager stunned villagers from Rwamburi in Limuru when he circumcised himself using a kitchen knife.

Samuel Waweru, 15, the eldest son of a single mother decided to initiate himself into adulthood after realising most of his agemates had left him behind.

Villagers were alerted when his younger brother raised the alarm after he started bleeding profusely. Samuel was rushed to a nearby dispensary where he was treated and discharged.

Waweru who lives with his mother and only brother could not recuperate from her mother’s house as per Kikuyu customs. He was, therefore, taken to his uncle’s home but under the care of a volunteer sponsor George Mukono, since it is against tradition for his uncles to handle him during this period.

Meanwhile, pastors from Limuru organised a mini harambee to help put up a small house for him. George Ngugi, a children’s officer from Limuru asked parents to engage more with their children to avert such incidents. He also promised to introduce Samuel to a counsellor to check on his progress.

Ngugi urged Samuel’s mother to transfer him from his present school to avoid being teased by his fellow youths.