Anti-FGM campaigners want govt to set up rescue centers

Anti FGM organization and campaigners within West Pokot County have called on the government to put on intensified fight against the FGM and early forced  marriages along the Kenya-Uganda border to curb the increased and frequent vices in the area.

Chebet Bungei the programme officer and empowerment with POM Harvesters International said that despite the spirited efforts put on by the organization and others, there seems a loophole along the Kenya –Uganda border where majority of young school girls always are crossed by to the neighbouring country of Uganda to face the cut and as well married off which has become difficult for monitoring.

Mrs Bungei further adds that the government should consider the remote parts along the border which still lack basic social amenities like schools.

She added that rescue centres should be constructed along the common border to ensure that many school going girls are retained in schools as their parents and guardians cross over to Uganda in search of pasture and water for their livestock where the majority of the girls are exposed.

Mrs Bungei noted that they have carried several sensitization exercises along the border of Kenya and Uganda that has seen the increase in school enrollment for the past few years.

The programme officer further said that during the Covid-19 period when schools were closed, several school going girls were married off and others faced the cut which she adds they are tracking on to ensure that they resume back to their studies though majority crossed the border to Uganda to escape being got.

Reverend Julius Murgor who is the former Kapenguria MP, said that the national government needs to do affirmative action as major facilities are needed to ensure that such  vices are eradicated completely.

Reverend Murgor who is the Patron of the POM Harvesters International says that they have drilled several boreholes along the remote border and set up churches to allow the community to engage fully with acceptance of new things and shunning away retrogressive practices that have seen the community remain behind.

He appealed to the national government to construct more boarding schools along the border as well as construction of dams to prevent the movement of households to the neighbouring country during times drought that see the vices of FGM and early marriages increase.

During a ceremony at Tandapos area along the Kenya Uganda border  in Kacheliba several residents said that due to the frequent sensitization and construction of few schools have seen them shun the Practice.

Local Grace Merengura and Elizabeth Muket said that they have changed and now enrol all their children to schools. And that the issue of circumcising girls is a fight they are undergoing with several women in the area where they have formed groups that normally ensure that no one engages in such.

Reuben Merikol the Director POM Harvesters International said that the fight for the girl child rights is their number priority especially with the pastoralist Pokot community.

However the Assistant County Commissioner Kacheliba Mr Fred Ndubi said that they have put up measures at the grass roots with the help of the chiefs to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book. He said that they have also banned the local night dances popularly known as ‘kwara kwara’ which is normally done at night and has seen several school going girls getting married and an increase in teenage pregnancies.

The OCS Kacheliba Police station Tom Nyanarwa said that they have collaborated with all stakeholders and always make arrests on those infringing on the rights of school going girls but are released due to lack of evidence which he says he urges the local community to voluntarily give information and evidence when violators are arrested.