Lobby warns of rise in female circumcision in Meru during holiday season
Meru Maendeleo ya Wanawake Chairperson Mary Kanana speaks to journalists on November 23, 2016. She has warned of a rise in female circumcision in Meru County during the current holiday season. PHOTO | ISABEL GITHAE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- FGM is still practiced in Tharaka and some parts of Meru and Embu counties despite it being illegal.
- At the same time, Ms Kanan raised concern over increased defilement cases in Meru.
- She urged police to arrest a 65-year-old man who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl.
- The case was reported to Tutua Police Station but the suspect is yet to be arrested.
Meru Maendeleo ya Wanawake Chairperson Mary Kanana has warned of a rise in female circumcision in Meru County during the current holiday season.
Speaking to Nation.co.ke on Wednesday, Ms Kanana has said the vice is normally prevalent at this time.
“I urge parents to stop female genital mutilation and educate our girls that it has negative effects on their lives,” she said.
She added that all Kenyans need to make deliberate efforts to improve the welfare of girls.
Female circumcision is still practiced in Tharaka and some parts of Meru and Embu counties despite it being illegal.
At the same time, Ms Kanan raised concern over increased defilement cases in Meru.
She urged police to arrest a 65-year-old man who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl.
The case was reported to Tutua Police Station but the suspect is yet to be arrested, according to the girl’s father.
The man said his wife found the culprit in the act in an abandoned house after she started searching for her missing daughter.
She tried to fight the man but he overpowered her and ran away.
The girl is being treated at the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital.
