Elders from Kuria community are playing a major role in stopping Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with the aim to eradicate the vice before the end of 2022.
In an interview with the FGM Coordinator Kuria Council of Elders Zakarin Marowa, he acknowledged that Anti FGM Board, security agencies, the community and Anti FGM campaigners have greatly contributed to the zero cases of FGM, this year.
Marowa said that the facilitation of funds for their ritual at the shrines in the Sub-counties of Kuria West and East, was the smartest strategy and the biggest achievement towards eradicating the vice.
He noted that elders had stayed true to their words of stopping completely the vice as they had promised during their rituals at shrine sites.
Marowa emphasized that the elders from the four Sub-tribes of Kuria, which comprises of the Abakira, Bairege,Nyabasi, and Bugumbe, had ensured that no FGM was practiced in the months of March, April and May as early feared.
“The circumcision period for the Kuria community is done mainly in April and December, but so far no cases have been reported”, said Marowa.
He explained that the elder’s decisions among the community are taken as the final one and if the elders had decided to end the negative retrogressive FGM vice, then it will done.
Marowa said that they will ensure the Council sticks to its promise of stopping completely FGM by the end of the year for their utmost respect to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“As the coordinator of Kuria Council of elders on matters of FGM I want to tell the President that his commitment to end FGM has bared fruits, stated Marowa.
The official pointed out that cross border was still a challenge, especially on matters of FGM, child labour and early marriage. He acknowledged that last year 49 FGM perpetrators were arrested and charged in court creating a good example that no one will evade the law.
Marowa said that more than 30 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBO) were championing issues of FGM, Child labour, Women’s health and early marriages to ensure that the community is cushioned from these harmful practices.
He noted that if FGM is completely eradicated, girl’s education will be completely guaranteed.
“A lot of resources are being put on FGM campaigns to ensure that the vice is eradicated. But once we deal with the vice completely, the resources that could be used to fight FGM will be used to improve the education standards of our children more so the girl child, concluded Marowa.
