No to forced circumcision: Chief

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Chiefs’ Council president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, says circumcision should be a voluntary exercise.

Chiefs’ Council president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, says circumcision should be a voluntary exercise.

TATENDA CHITAGU OWN CORRESPONDENT

This followed a case in which a Chiredzi man was charged with kidnapping after forcing a fellow villager to be circumcised under Tshangani tradition.

Speaking at the parade of 1 050 villagers who underwent medical male circumcision in Chiredzi South under Chief Sengwe’s area on Monday, Chief Charumbira said everyone had the right to choose what was good for them.

“Let me remind you that medical male circumcision remains voluntary and no one should coerce anyone to go for it,” he said.

Male circumcision is encouraged for improving personal hygiene as well as reducing the risk of HIV infection by 60%.

Chief Charumbira said Zimbabwe hoped to circumcise 1,2 million sexually-active males to help reduce new HIV cases by half by 2015.

Speaking at the same event, the Masvingo provincial aids co-ordinator at the National Aids Council, Evos Makoni, urged the circumcised men not to be sexually irresponsible.

“Some people who are circumcised relax and shun condom use. We have behavioural change programmes targeting those circumcised men not to indulge in unsafe sex,” Makoni said.