Kenya can wipe out FGM once and for all

In a politically charged environment, good things can easily go unnoticed. For the women’s movement in Kenya, June 18, 2014 was a good day.

The National Assembly responded to questions raised regarding what the government was doing about female genital mutilation and the number of FGM cases reported since the enactment of the Prohibition of the FGM Act (2011).

Women leaders narrated their personal experiences as victims of the practice without shame or fear. The debate demonstrated political will to protect girls and women.

While the media coverage on that day quoted Mr Jimmy Angwenyi, saying, “the Kisii culture requires to have a small cut on their girls”, it is important to look at the strong responses that supported an end to FGM.

Kenya has made remarkable progress in fighting FGM. In 1983, President Moi attempted to ban the practice but elders fought back, saying, the practice was a cultural prerogative of the communities.

A motion seeking to ban it was defeated in Parliament in November 1996. In 1998, prevalence rates were as high as 38 per cent.

Of Kenya’s 42 tribes, 38 have traditionally practised FGM. The national prevalence has since gone down to 27 per cent, with Kenya recording the highest decline in Africa.

Yet incredibly high prevalence rates are recorded within communities. These include the Somali community at 98 per cent, Kisii at 96 per cent and Maasai at 73 per cent. The practice is also relatively high among the Meru, Taita, Kalenjin, Embu, Meru, Kikuyu, Kamba and Mijikenda.

Among some communities, FGM is closely linked to child marriage. It, therefore does not come as a surprise that recently, a section of women from Kajiado County were asking for the law to be repealed, saying, they have a right to practise their culture.

MEDICALISATION OF FGM

This came shortly after the death of a 13-year-old girl as a result of heavy bleeding following FGM.

It is encouraging to note the stance taken by Kajiado legislator Joseph ole Nkaissery, who categorically stated that there is one law for all Kenyans.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions should be singled out for its commendable efforts. By forming a prosecutorial team of 20 officials to handle FGM cases, arrests have been made, including one of a chief in Kajiado.

Additionally, the team has bonded circumcisers in Kajiado showing that it will no longer be business as usual for female genital cutters.

There is also a systematic tabulation of cases, and progress in implementation of the law is promising.

Various Members of Parliament raised serious concerns, who pointed out that sentences against FGM practitioners remain too short, while cases take too long to conclude. For instance, one case in Kuria took seven years.

Parliament needs to take up the challenge and bring back a motion making penalties stiffer and faster.

It has also been pointed out that the rite continues to be used as a bargaining chip by politicians. Reports on the medicalisation of FGM have been floating around for a long time, yet no substantive investigations have been carried out.

Mr Nkaissery and Kajiado County Woman Representative Mary Seneta have publicly claimed that NGOs are inciting Maasai women to sustain the practice.

Civil society organisations are part and parcel of Kenya’s vibrant democracy and they play a role in holding the government to account. In return, the government should demand accountability from the NGOs and weed out those using FGM as a “cash-cow”.

Ms Njengere is the communications officer of Equality Now.