Police and chiefs are to blame for the increase in FGM, activist say

Zahara Hashim the programem coordinator at Sisters Maternity Home who attended the function.

By: Aden Mohamed

GARISSA—Female Genital Mutilation related complications are on the rise among Garissa women despite laws that ban the practice.

According to Zahara Hashim, the programme coordinator at Sister’s Maternity Home at least three cases of retained menstruation, formation of cyst and delayed delivery are reported at the facility every week and these conditions leads to vesico vaginal fistula and at the long run bring permanent disability to the patients.
Zahara said that reluctance by the chiefs, their assistants, village elders and police for having failed to enforce the law is to be blamed.

She also blamed out-of-court-settlement for the rise in of the deadly practice.

Zahara who was speaking at the Hidig Plaza after sensitization forum for FGM gate keepers for 5 sub locations within Garissa Township said the trend has been contributed by the continued by parents who secretly conduct the exercise.

“When the matter is reported, the area chiefs will not do anything,” she said.

The anti-FGM crusaders comprised of youths, Islamic scholars and women have resolved to table a private sponsored-bill at the Garissa County Assembly and integrate it with the FGM act, 2011 that will make it mandatory for the community to domesticate and implement it.

Sheikh Hussein Mahat, a renowned Islamic scholar said the practice commonly witnessed among the Somali community had nothing to do with religion but, a culture that has been sneaked into the religion.