Board Says There is No Proof Murang'a Woman Was Forcibly Circumcised by Husband

The Anti-FGM Board says there is no medical proof that a Murang’a woman was forcibly circumcised by her husband and his friends.

Through a statement, the board’s chairperson Agnes Pareyio said claims by 38-year-old Hellen Wangui that she underwent forced female genital mutilation (FGM) could not be confirmed.

Citing a medical report, Pareiyo indicated that the woman was assaulted, and it is not clear whether her husband and his friends intended to circumcise her.

The board, however, noted that they are still conducting further investigations into the incident in collaboration with security officers.

Pareiyo expressed concerns over the rising cases of clitoridectomy in the Central Kenya region even as she warned those behind the retrogressive practice.

“FGM preference among the Kikuyu community is at 26 percent. It’s a worrying trend considering people from the central region are educated and well conversant with impacts associated with FGM,” Pareyio said.

“FGM is quite high in 22 counties. Murang’a is not one of them but we are investigating to know the reality and apprehend those who want to bring back the behaviors among the community.”

She mentioned Kisii, Maasai, Samburu, and Somali as the leading communities when it comes to FGM.

The Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association (GEMA) Women Council of Elders this week petitioned the government to deregister and outlaw a traditional group dubbed Gwata Ndai for promoting gender-based violence practices such as female circumcision within the family setups.