News
350 teenage girls to face the knife
Posted Tuesday, November 24 2009 at 22:00
In Summary
- Ceremony planned for December holidays
At least 350 teenage girls are to be circumcised in the next two weeks in Marakwet East and Pokot Central districts.
A pre-initiation ceremony known as kitung’a will take place in Kapsiren village, Koibirir location, on the Friday that schools are to close.
A source from the provincial administration and several primary school teachers told the Nation at Tot trading centre on Tuesday that according to cultural beliefs, the stars, prevailing weather patterns, and other key elements had signalled that the initiations should go on in the next two weeks.
About 120 girls aged between nine and 16 years are to undergo the rite in Endow, Kaben, and Koibirir locations while 60 others are targeted in Cheptulel in Marakwet.
In the neighbouring Lomut and Arpolo sub-locations in Pokot Central, more than 150 girls will undergo the cut.
Koibirir chief Alfrick Lorem said the teenagers are to be initiated during the December holidays.
The initiations come amid stern warnings by the government that perpetrators would be prosecuted. Human rights activists have also threatened to sue the perpetrators of the outlawed practice.
Separately, three married women were circumcised on tuesday in Chepkwawai village in Chebororwa location, Marakwet West District.
According to anti-female genital mutilation crusaders, one of the women claimed that she was forced to undergo the rite or face excommunication by the society and divorce by her husband. The other two admitted that they had consented to be circumcised.
Marakwet East district commissioner Joseph Kisangau put FGM practitioners in the district on notice.
“We have instructed chiefs to be on the look-out throughout the December holiday. Should anyone circumcise a girl or woman, they will be arrested and prosecuted,” he warned.
Marakwet West district children’s officer Peter Kutere said the government had criminalised forced circumcision of girls and warned parents that they risked being jailed if their daughters underwent the rite.
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Submitted by njeridivaPosted November 25, 2009 09:52 PM
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Submitted by yesuwangu
why cant the constittution ban this uncivilized acts ones against women.its un medical and unreasonable to circumise women. even the new constitution did not mention this.they only women who are set to benefit from the new costitution and uhuru tax free cosmetics and women elections rights are the learned urban women.but the rural women are no were still under opression early marriage,circumcision,only birth tool,wife inheritence etc
Posted November 25, 2009 08:15 PM -
Submitted by SJ502
This is one issue MP Jebii could excel in...she should steer clear of constitution making process! Her quack ideas on reforms are just plain ridiculous!
Posted November 25, 2009 05:37 PM -
Submitted by Sienko
To me, it is simple. Those circumcising girls, and their parents, should be prosecuted under the Children's Act. And those who are doing it on grown women should be held for practising medicine without a license. I think the laws are there. We just lack the will to carry them out.
Posted November 25, 2009 04:03 PM -
Submitted by sierra_skip
is it abuse or culture?at this rate, what is going to be left of an african? teach them so that we evolve smoothly and modernize this century old culture.demonizing might be the one causing rebellion.
Posted November 25, 2009 04:02 PM
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OUCH! thats all i have to say about that!