Ebrima Tabora Manneh, leader of the People’s Alliance Party, has warned that punishing citizens for practising female circumcision could plunge the country into further division.

The Economist turned politician’s warning comes three days after the Gambian parliament upheld ban on female circumcision also known as female genital mutilation (FGM). 

The practice of FGM is punishable under the laws of the land up to three years in prison and 50,000 dalasis fine.

However, reacting to t news that the ban has been upheld, Mr Manneh said: “I still stand on my position of FGM and this issue is very simple. As nobody is forced to worship God, then can’t they also allow those who believe that female circumcision is their religion be allowed to practice it and those who don’t believe stop practicing it so that peace can prevail.

“I believe we have some other salient issues like the dangers of Kush drug in the country to talk about other than FGM matter. There are diseases like tuberculosis, diabetes, high blood pressure and many others killing people and we are not talked about them or looking at solutions for them, but rather we waste so much energy on this FGM [issue].”

“Let them allow those who believe it’s their religion to practice and I don’t think it should warrant them [government] to punish anyone who practices it. This will only bring more division and problems in the country. I don’t think it would be good advice to punish anyone for practicing female circumcision because if they do it will cause more division and friction in the country,” he added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba