By Shirley Genga

There are people in many parts of the world who view their culture as the ultimate, an immutable part of their lives that is cast in stone. But what if that same culture is the one thing that kills its people?

This is the question Chief Eshiloni Mumena of the Kaonde people of Zambia was forced to ask himself after his 17-year-old son asked to be circumcised.

Historically, his kingdom does not subscribe to the rite. Why did his son put such a heavy responsibility on the chief’s shoulders?

In granting his son’s wish, Mumena decided to dare his culture and even brave stigmatisation in order to save lives.

Reduce Infection
Studies have shown that circumcising adult heterosexual men is one of the most effective ways to fight Aids by reducing the chances of infection by 60 per cent or more.

A United Nations report released in 2010 indicated that universal male circumcision in sub-Saharan Africa could prevent 5.7 million new infections and three million deaths over 20 years.

This finding has encouraged many hitherto uncircumcised Kenyans to opt for the knife in a widely acknowledged successful campaign.

So months after the report was released and internationally welcomed as a frontier to contain the epidemic, it was Mumena’s time to take charge, and show his people the way.

But how does one tell people who have never practised circumcision to do so? Mumena was convinced, but could the people listen to him?

“My son explained to me why he wanted to be circumcised. I did my own research and confirmed everything he told me. I found out about the benefits and the role circumcision played in the fight againstzzzzz HIV infection, I knew it was something I had to champion. And since I am not just the chief but the custodian of culture in my kingdom, it was a serious undertaking . . . like going to war,” he said.

Mumena held a village meeting where he told his people about the benefits of circumcision. He weaved the message cleverly. He told them how other villages from far away lands had embraced the practice and had, as a result, contained the spread of Aids. The people listened.

Because of his wisdom, the villagers took his advice. Within a short time, tens were circumcised. So far more than 700 men and boys from his village have been circumcised. The chief is not all talk and no action; at the age of 48 he too underwent circumcision.

Life saving
“It is time for all cultures to embrace male circumcision regardless of beliefs because it is a life-saving practice. Holding on to non-beneficial cultural norms is retrogressive,” he told The Standard at the recent International Conference on Aids held in Washington DC.

He says women should also get involved in the campaign, to encourage their husbands and sons to face the knife.

“The women from my village are at the forefront of the circumcision campaign, as it does not only help to reduce HIV infection but it also has a protective effect against acquisition of human papilloma, which causes cervical cancer.”

However, many are worried that circumcision may be misconstrued as a stand-alone solution to HIV prevention, and the chief knows this. In his campaigns, he tells people that the practice goes hand in hand with behavioural change.

Great progress
While he has recorded great progress in his campaign, Mumena has faced stiff challenges from some church groups and others who spread the wrong message — that circumcision doesn’t help control the spread of HIV infection.

But he calls these normal hiccups. His message is that circumcision is no longer a cultural issue but something to save lives.

Chief Mumena, who is married to a teacher and has four children comes from a matriarchal society and thus inherited the throne through his mother and became chief in 1998 after his grandfather died.

He worked as a telecommunication and electronic expert at Zamtel before he left to take on his duties as chief. 

In Kenya, the voluntary medical male circumcision as an HIV prevention tool has been so successful that campaigners against the disease are using the country as a benchmark for success.
It is spearheaded by the ministry of Medical Services.

Mumena and Kenya’s success stories were some of the cases that were showcased at the Aconference which took place at the Walter E Washington Convention Centre last month.
The conference was held in Washington in 1987 but soon after, people with HIV/Aids were banned from entering the US.

The Obama Administration lifted the travel ban in 2009.