Source: The Star
More than 1,000 girls are lined up to undergo Female Genital Mutilation in Baringo, Pokot and Marakwet counties during the December holidays. In Loboi location of Marigat district, a local politician is among those secretly planning to have a circumcision ceremony for his two daughters.

Mariam Suleiman, who is the CEO of the Women Rights Institute for Peace, has said some parents are secretly planning to have their girls undergo the cut in the next few weeks. Speaking during a press briefing in Eldoret yesterday, she has called on the county governments and agencies to stamp out FGM.

Suleiman said cicumsision plans are underway in the Pokot community in Nginyang' location and among the Endorois and Njemps in Marigat district. "We are appealing to those involved to stop the retrogressive practice," Suleiman said. About 300 of the girls are however planning to escape from their homes to avoid facing the cut and some of them have alerted anti-FGM activists about the plans.

Suleiman was with Emmy Ego and Alice Cherop who are officials of the institute. "FGM is very retrogressive as it hinders the development especially education for the girl child within the communities in the region. The girls exposed to the vice fail to pursue higher education and are caught up in the cycle of illiteracy and poverty ," Suleiman said.

She said the provincial administration and the county governments must intervene to evacuate the targeted girls and prosecute those behind the ceremonies. "The FGM Act and its provisions must be implemented by all authorities and this will ensure punitive action against those involved in planning such illegal activities," Suleiman said.

The institute wants counties in the region to come up with laws that will domesticate the FGM Act and strengthen measures to deal with the vice. Suleiman said they will carry out civic education activities in the region to sensitise communities on the dangers of FGM.

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