President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked Kenyans to shun Female Genital Mutilation giving his father as an example.
"Babangu alikuwa anasimamia hii kitu sana wakati wale, lakini ni kwa sababu mzungu alikuwa anakuja kutunyang'anya utamaduni wetu kama wa Afrika," he said.
Loosely translates to (my father Jomo used to champion for FGM but it was because he needed to protect our culture from the Whites)
"Sasa tuko na uhuru wetu..sasa hata kama tulitumia hii mambo kupigania haki yetu, sahi nguvu ni zetu..tukiwa tumeona mengine haifai..yastahili tubadilike," he said
(..Right now we have the freedom. Even though we used it to save ourselves, right now we have our own strengths and when we see that something is not good then we do away with it)
Speaking in State House on Friday, Uhuru said as Christians when you are baptised you turn over a new leaf.
"... hata sisi tubatizwe tuseme hii mambo tumewachana nayo....We also need that baptism so that we stop these practices," he said.
Uhuru further directed that officers of the found entertaining FGM in counties will face his wrath.
"Tutawachukulia hatua maofisa watakaopatikana wakisimamia sherehe za ukeketaji..we will take action on those officers found condoning this act," he said.
The President said Kenya will not entertain any harm that goes to the women.
"Mambo ya kudhulumu wanawake tumeyakataa. Pahali na nafasi ya wamama ipo..We refuse women suffering. Women have a place in our society," he said.
On homosexuality, Uhuru said Kenya will not listen to leaders who will touch on the matter during a conference to be held at KICC next week.
"Watakuja kutusomesha lakini tutakaa kwasababu hailingani na mila na tabia zetu na fikira zetu.. tunang'oa yale ambayo tunajua inadhulumu watu wetu...They will come to teach us but we will refuse acts that go against our traditions, " he said.
This has been his stand since the issue cropped up.
In 2018, Uhuru said Kenya does not consider gay rights relevant as it goes against the cultural beliefs of Kenyans.
In a manner reminiscent of his response to former US President Barack Obama in 2015, Uhuru said Kenya’s cultural beliefs do not consider homosexuality a human right.
