Chiefs and assistant chiefs in Narok county who will fail to report cases of female genital mutilation in their areas of jurisdiction will be sacked.
Narok county commissioner Evans Achoki said chiefs are the eyes of the government on the ground and should protect the girls.
“You are representing the President in your locations and sublocations. If you fail to end FGM in your area of jurisdiction, then there is no need to remain in that job, you better resign,” Achoki warned.
The county commissioner spoke during a meeting with hundreds of chiefs and assistant chiefs from Narok North and East subcounties at Narok Teachers Training College.
Achoki asked the grassroots administrators to give authoritative declarations in the villages that no girls would be allowed to undergo the cut and that those found violating the order risk being jailed.
“Once you are convinced that your girls must not undergo FGM, you will lead by example and not allow your girls to undergo the cut. But if you as the leaders are taking your girls for the cut, then you have no authority to ask your people not to undergo the cut,” he said.
The county commissioner said he has held discussions with Judiciary officers and prosecutors and they have agreed to punish those found carrying out FGM by ensuring they are prosecuted and serve several years in jail.
Anti FGM Board chairperson Agnes Pareyio said FGM was torture on young girls and should not be allowed to continue.
She said women who have undergone the cut endure a lot of pain while giving birth and sometimes suffer from fistula.
Pareyio urged the chiefs to help fight the retrogressive practice.
In 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed 22 counties practising FGM to end the practice by 2022.
