- Officials said sharing intelligence has seen suspects arrested on time.
- Data from the anti-FGM board indicate that about 3,000 girls were subjected to cross the border to undergo the cut.
Image: COURTESY/KENYA POLICE
More than 50 girls from the Kuria community have been rescued from Female Genital Mutilation.
This comes even as several suspects were arrested during a joint security operation by Kenya and Tanzania.
The community cuts across the border of the two countries and last week security and stakeholders against the vice from the two countries met to streamline joint operations.
“We organised the joint meeting and already through sharing intelligence we have zeroed down on notorious cutters who are stationed in border villages,” Charles Olwamba, an officer with Amref Health Africa, said.
He said because of heightened scrutiny, boda boda operators have been hired to do cuts for girls at night from door to door.
There are growing worries that school opening slated for January 24 will see a surge in cases.
“We need to harmonise laws against the vice between the two countries as they are lenient in Tanzania and courts cases should also be fastracked,” Olwamba said.
Daudi Ibrahim, the Tarime district police boss in Tanzania, and Andrew Mwiti, the Kuria West subcounty commissioner, said sharing intelligence has seen suspects arrested on time.
Mwiti said on December 8, a raid at Ntunyigi village at the border rescued five girls aged between 12 and 13.
“We held the minors at Kehancha police station as their parents and circumcisers escaped,” the commissioner said.
Mwiti said despite government placing 2022 as ‘zero tolerance' against FGM, they will support the gains made in eradicating the vice in communities where it is practiced and ensure a conducive learning environment for girls
“President [William] Ruto has picked anti-FGM fight commitment from where his predecessor left and, as a government, we will include all other stakeholders to tackle and eradicate the vice completely,”he said.
From August, stakeholders from the two countries have been organising several barazas and meetings, which include elders, boda boda operators, chiefs and local police.
The riders are targeted as they are the main means of transport along the borders.
Data from the anti-FGM board indicate that about 3,000 girls were subjected to cross the border to undergo the cut.
“We have girls and families who cross the border from both sides for the cut. This can be stopped by increasing vigilance for arrests,” Migori county Gender director Kenneth Oomo said.
He said the impact of FGM activities at the grassroots level had reduced by 50 per cent, adding that they are still on the course to wipe out the vice entirely from the region by the end of this year.
(edited by Amol Awuor)