Six women have been arrested in West Pokot for subjecting their seven children to female genital mutilation.
The girls under 15 years were rescued from a ceremony in
Chekomos location, Sook division, on
Thursday.
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Sook division assistant commissioner Brian Njue said he raided the homes after an alert by residents.
“We normally work with intelligence. Not everyone in the Pokot community supports FGM. The few who do not support it are the ones who came to us."
Njue
said the women were taken to Kapenguria police station and the girls to Kapenguria referral hospital.
He said community dialogues have been taking place to sensitise residents on
the outlawed cultural practice.
“They are facing a jail term of seven years. They will serve as an example to parents who force their girls to undergo the cut. If we don’t take harsh measures, the practice may never come to an end."
The administrator noted a prevalence rate of 75 per cent, which means
three out of four girls get circumcised.
West Pokot OCPD Anthony Wanjiru said
the girls were in stable condition.
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