CAS Kilimo ask chiefs to help eradicate gender-based violence

Public Service and Gender CAS Linah Jebii Kilimo has urged chiefs to help in eradicating gender-based violence like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in areas under their jurisdictions.

She said chiefs and their assistants were well placed to arrest  parents who force their young children to engage in female circumcision, which was now prohibited under the Children’s Act, 2001.

Addressing students of St Paul’s Kapkondot and Barpello in Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo Counties when she witnessed the opening and collection of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations on Tuesday,  Kilimo regretted that outdated cultural practices have hindered development along the Kerio Valley.

“Unless chiefs and their assistants demonstrate their seriousness in the war against gender based violence and insecurity occasioned by banditry and cattle rustling activities,” she said.

“What we need to do is not just empathize but implement the full law to ensure justice is served to victims of SGBV and GBV like FGM,” she added.

She said it is saddening those cases of young girls being forced to undergo FGM, for instance, especially during holidays  are on the rise despite the ban on the practice.

“As Kenyans of goodwill, we must be our brothers/sisters keepers if we are to eliminate vices, which hinder their development in life. Stern action needs to be taken against actors of any nature of violence including that of boys and girls,” Kilimo said.

The CAS, at the same time, said investment in education remains key to elimination of outdated cultural practices like FGM and cattle rustling.

Kilimo said there was need for communities especially in arid and semi arid areas to invest more in education of their children so as to achieve the much-needed development in such regions.

“I want to ask you (students) to help us by education your brothers and parents at home on the importance of education and peace if we are to achieve our development targets in this region. Peaceful coexistence among our people is vital for accelerated development,”  Kilimo said.

She asked parents in the region to invest heavily in education of their children, adding that it was only through the provision of quality education that the manpower needs of the region could be attained.

“Our people should know that we have fought for many years and no community has benefited from these useless activities. Instead we have lost lives and property to cattle rustlers and bandits,’’  Kilimo said.

 She appealed to the  professionals from the valley to educate the people on the importance of living harmoniously among themselves and with their neighbors.

“As professionals we are well placed to educate our people on the need to live together as brothers and sisters and avoid activities that can disrupt our peaceful coexistence,” she noted .

Kilimo added, “No one should cheat us that the government is solely to blame for insecurity problems along the valley because it is the primary duty of all of us including our leaders to take the lead in spearheading peace efforts to ensure people live harmoniously among themselves and with their neighbors."