Parents in praise of FGM as 27 girls undergo the ‘cut’
Anti-FGM campaign: Participants march in the streets of Eldoret Town during the African Launch of the Girl Generation Campaign to end Female Genital Mutilation on December 10, 2014. Over 25 girls underwent the 'cut' in Elgeyo Marakwet County on December 12, 2014.
What you need to know:
The girls gnashed their teeth in pain as the circumcisers performed the ritual on the day Kenyans marked 51 years of independence
Deputy County Commissioner Hussein Alaso summoned the area chief and police boss to explain why they allowed the circumcision
Some of the girls’ parents, who spoke to the Saturday Nation, praised the practice
Twenty seven teenage girls were forcibly circumcised on Friday even as some of their parents supported the rite of passage.
The circumcision took place in two villages in Marakwet East, Elgeyo-Marakwet county.
The girls gnashed their teeth in pain as the circumcisers performed the ritual on the day Kenyans marked 51 years of independence.
This was the highest number of girls in the area circumcised after a long time.
SUMMONED CHIEF
Deputy County Commissioner Hussein Alaso summoned the area chief and police boss to explain why they allowed the circumcision.
The girls, aged between six and 14, faced the knife in Tinyar and Kapkobutwo villages of Chugor sub-location, Kibaimwa location for more than an hour from 5.30am.
The initiates are pupils at Chugor Girls’ Boarding and Chesetan Primary schools.
Some of the girls’ parents, who spoke to the Saturday Nation, praised the practice.
“The government should not interfere with us. The children we have circumcised today (Friday) are ours and we should be let alone.
The government should tackle security problems like terrorism and banditry,” a parent said.
Her two children are pupils at Chesetan Primary School.
Meanwhile, the blame game between the local chief and the police broke out as soon as news of the incident spread.
Kibaimwa Location chief Peter Chelimo and his assistant Samuel Kisang defended themselves and blamed officers at Mogil Police Station for failing to stop the circumcisions even though they had been told in advance.
“We have summoned the Kibaimwa location chief and Mogil Police Station police chief.
We are in a crisis meeting and they only have up to this evening (Friday) to produce suspects or face disciplinary action,” said Mr Alaso.
The administrator added they were trying to identify the parents and find out where the girls were hidden.
FIGHT FGM
The chairperson of a board created to fight female circumcision, Mrs Linah Kilimo, who is from the area condemned the vice.
“We have come a long way in trying to eliminate the practice. We will not relent in the war against this vice.”
Area MP Kangogo Bowen and County Woman Representative Susan Chebet also condemned the circumcision.
