Murang’a Women Up in Arms over Sects Forcing Wives to Undergo Circumcision

A group of women in Murang’a County has raised alarm over the growing cases of married women being forced to undergo circumcision.

Murang’a Women Council on Monday petitioned the government to protect women in the region following threats of traditional groups advocating for female genital mutilation (FGM).

Mercy Kimwe, a former Murang’a Municipality Mayor, urged both county and national government to move with speed and tame the retrogressive behavior that has undermined the integrity of young mothers.

The group says it has organized a series of meetings in Murang’a County, particularly in Gathige and Kandara areas to sensitize the community against clitoridectomy. 

The group further called upon Chief Justice Martha Koome and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to support the initiative.

“We shall have to confront the issues to ensure the dignity of women will not be undermined by rogue groups,” said Kimwe.

Cases of women being forced to undergo the cut have been on the rise in Central Kenya in the recent past.

Last week, 30-year-old Hellen Wangui from Kandara narrated how her husband colluded with his ‘friends’ to circumcise her by force.

Wangui said her husband of 12 years joined a secret Kikuyu sect a few months ago and asked to perform a ritual where he slaughtered a sheep in the company of other members, after which he demanded that she and her two young daughters undergo female circumcision as the faith does not allow men to live with uncircumcised women in the same house.

Wangui declined his demands and reported the matter to the area chief, who dismissed her plea.

Her husband ambushed her on the night of June 9th in the company of 30 other men where they stripped her naked and cut off her private parts in the cruelest way.

“My husband forced me to open the door for him. He came with other men who caught me by the neck, stripped me then began pricking me with needles on my private parts. They used their nails, a knife to cut off my private parts,” Wangui recounted.

“They said they want to circumcise me so that I can become a ‘complete woman’ as per their practices.”

The mother of two sought treatment at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital after sustaining serious injuries on her genitals.