Girl tells US leader how group saved her from the ‘cut’

Sixteen-year-old Linet Nenkoitoi had her moment of joy with US President Barack Obama during a forum at the Kenyatta University in Nairobi on Friday.

Linet, a Form Two student at Pangani Girls High School, narrated how she was saved by the Kakenya Rescue Centre from circumcision and early marriage.

The US leader later hugged the schoolgirl and posed for a photo with her during the Young African Leaders Initiative forum at the university.

President Obama was amazed by the girl’s dreams of studying cardiology at Harvard University in the United States. “I am sure you will be an excellent cardiologist. This sends out a message of what civil society can do. Linet, we are proud of you,” he said after listening to her story.

Linet told the gathering that her friend got married at the age of 15 and ended up having two children.

“I was lucky. I was taken in by the organisation and got the opportunity to study. Initially, I did not have any dream but now, after being enrolled at Pangani Girls High School, I want to be a cardiologist,” she said.

WARNED AGAINST LAWS

Kakenya is a non-profit organisation devoted to serving vulnerable and underprivileged girls. It focuses on academic excellence, leadership and community development.

Mr Obama met various civil society groups at the university, where he spoke at length on their importance.

The leader warned against laws targeting the groups and the media, adding that the United States would not support such pieces of legislation.

He said there should be adequate space for the media to operate and civil society groups to offer their services, adding that the two are critical in keeping governments in check.

“Democracy does not stop on election day. There should be laws to protect democratic space. The freedom of the media and free space for civil society must be protected. We would look suspiciously at laws that say certain groups should not operate because they are opposed to the government,” he said.

Mr Obama also pushed for more involvement of civil society in fighting terrorism, saying he had asked President Kenyatta to consider doing so.

“What concerns me most in Kenya now is terrorism. We have talked about this with President Kenyatta. One of the lessons we have learnt is that you cannot fight terrorism only through the military and the police. It is important to include civil society,” he said.

Asked whether the US would help Kenya ensure devolution works, Mr Obama said this was an internal matter his country would not want to interfere with.

“It will be difficult for us, outsiders, to try to figure out what to do with devolution. This is for you to do. What we can only say is that you have a Constitution that you should abide by,” he said.