FGM still a menace in Garissa county

A file photo of a section of Garissa town. Garissa Children’s officer, Benjamin Kinyua has noted that almost all locations in Garissa Sub County practice FGM.

By Kevin Kyalo

GARISSA—Anti-Female Genital Mutilation activist and concerned stakeholders in Garissa are calling for more strict laws and firm measure to be taken against those who are still clinging to the outdated act.

The activist claim the current laws are weak and full of loopholes that have allowed the offenders to outsmart lawmakers in the illegal act.

Speaking during the world FGM day at Garissa Primary school, children’s officer, Benjamin Kinyua said the only way to achieve this was to have chiefs and their assistants sign performance contracts that state the number of arrests they make yearly.

“The local administrators fail to report incidences of FGM since those practising it could be their immediate relatives.” Kinyua noted.

He added that many FGM practices were being done in almost all locations in Garissa Sub County but they fail to report to the authorities for fear of being victimized by the community.

He also blamed the chiefs and elders of the Nyumba Kumi initiative for encouraging the exercise in their areas.

Zainab Ali an activist with a local NGO echoed Kinyua’s sentiments and showed concern that since the enactment of FGM laws in 2011 no one has ever been arrested and charged in a Garissa court.

The anti- FGM board, CEO Bernadette Loloju speaking in Nairobi called on men and other civil society groups to join in the fight against the outlawed practice.

“The walk has been very long but this is a movement that we shall not stop until the last girl is saved from female genital mutilation and early marriage,” stated Loloju.

About 97% of the Somali girls undergo circumcision with many of them developing complication during birth and menstruation according to UNICEF statistics.

Rates also remain high among the Kuria, Samburu and Maasai ethnic groups but Loloju expressed confidence the battle will be won.

Ijara MP Sophia Noor and other anti-FGM activists have urged a doctor who moved to court seeking to have FGM legalized to drop the case.

“As a member of Kewopa, who is enjoined as an interested party in the case, I felt disappointed when I heard about that case. Does she know what we went through to even fight for prohibitions in the FGM Act to save women? She has no business with FGM.” The Ijara MP said.