500 girls line up to be circumcised despite ban

By  Edwin Cheserek

More than 500 girls are set to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Elgeyo/Marakwet County. This comes amid Government’s warning of stern action against perpetrators.

Preparations to have the underage children face the cut are in top gear, with some girls said to have fled their homes to escape the rite.

The Standard has learnt that more than 50 girls, aged between eight and 12, were yesterday circumcised at Mokoro location in Marakwet East District.

Area DC Joseph Kisang’au said police officers rescued five girls in Embobut area who had already been lined up for the exercise.

 Raided a house

He said the authorities raided a house where the children had been kept and arrested four women who have since been handed to police.

“We know these incidents happen, especially at night, but the message we are sending is that FGM is illegal and whoever will be found will face the law,” he said.

Mr Kisang’au disclosed that most girls have been lined up for the rite in Kibaimwa and Endo locations but said law enforcers had been deployed to the suspected areas to track down the perpetrators.

The administrator expressed concern that the residents were punishing girls instead of supporting them in the society.

“The Government has put in place adequate mechanism to check the vice. Let those involved in the practice bear in mind that they are doing so at their own risk and we will catch up with them,” he warned.

This comes barely a week after a middle-aged woman in the area was admitted to hospital after being forcibly circumcised.

Nursing wounds

The victim is said to be nursing wounds in a secluded place after her husband allegedly colluded with some women and circumcised her.

The DC, however, said they have received such information and appealed to the residents to volunteer information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects.

The administrator pointed out that some parents were frustrating efforts to eradicate the vice by conducting the rite in secret locations against the wishes of the girls.