Mukono Municipality Legislator who doubles as the Shadow Minister for Information Hon Betty Nambooze Bakireke has rudely responded to the statement made by the State Minister for Gender and Culture affairs Peace Mutuuzo of condemning the practice of labia stretching (female genital pulling or tkusilca abalongo’) among Girls.
The Minister on Wednesday warned against initiating young girls into genital elongation commonly known as ‘pulling’.
The minister said government will find avenues of talking to girls, especially in primary schools, how to report the perpetrators for encouraging a practice that does not add value to their health.
“We shall target matrons in primary boarding schools. You are preparing our girls who are not yet ready for marriage and may get partners who do not care about that (genital elongation),” Mutuuzo said while addressing journalist in Kampala.
However, Minister Mutuzo’s statement has created bitter reactions from the public especially those who consider such practices as part of their traditional norms.
In response, Hon Betty Nambooze has revealed that the practice of pulling is part of the Buganda culture and it makes sex enjoyable and valued.
“Reseachers Guillermo Martinez Perez and Harriet Namulondo did warn that,that practice by Baganda is likely to endure, and hence advised that there is need to respectfully address Baganda through education programme cleared by their cultural leadership aimed at minimising the risks that maybe attached to the procedure and, hence, improving the sexual and reproductive health of Baganda girls,” Nambooze said in a Facebook post yesterday.
Adding, “Dear Minister, you can’t say that the Baganda practices or even the Sabiny circumcision are primitive actions because even in the developed World for example in the Netherlands/ Western Europe, lately, cutting the size of private parts is becoming the norm in younger women. Plastic surgery to reduce the size of some parts of the genitals is one area the health insurance companies are now citing as they demand for extra pay for these operations.”
She further cautioned the minister to distinguish the Baganda practices from the highly risky female genital mutilation practiced by certain tribes in eastern Uganda.
“But even in communities where they practice women circumcision there is always need to exercise caution and restraint not to approach this matter through criminalising a culture right away.
“Attacking culture is trending on a very slippery ground….the best way to deal away with a cultural practice is through respectful sensitization and dialogue done professionally in conjunction with cultural leaders. Madam Minister no community should ever claim cultural superiority or condemned as having an inferior culture…if a cultural procedure is harmfully done, we should only move to sensitize those people to do it safely. Most importantly although scientists have indicated such practices are of no scientific value, they all agree that because they are culturally treasured, women who have complied to them get confidence which makes their sexual relationships healthy.”
