Conspiracy of silence as girls secretly suffer pain of cut in Nyamira County

Top Government officials and anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) crusaders in Nyamira County are concerned that girls as young as seven years undergo the cut secretly.

It has emerged that perpetrators of this illegal cultural practice are trained nurses and community health workers who are chopping part of the girls' anatomy for an extra penny.

The Standard has established that some nurses are breaking the law, but secrecy and perhaps conspiracy of silence around the subject are thwarting efforts by the State and development partners to eradicate the social ill.

Figures indicate FGM prevalence in Gusii region stands at 96 per cent. Despite numerous campaigns to end the outdated and inhumane act, it appears locals have devised strategies to escape the long arm of the law.

The Standard caught up with a 65-year-old woman who has been circumcising girls for over 30 years.

She accepted to speak exclusively to The Standard but on condition of anonymity for fear of being arrested by authorities.

She revealed that since the beginning of the month, she had cut over 20 girls aged between seven and 10.

"The girls are sometimes too young and whatever is supposed to be removed has not even developed. I do it anyway to satisfy the parents. It is part of our culture," she says as she demonstrates how a girl's clitoris is chopped off. 

Inside her toolkit (a small bag) are several surgical instruments such as haemostatic forceps, surgical blades, antiseptic, syringes, needles and pieces of cotton wool.

Although she is not a trained nurse, she confesses that she learnt the art of the cut at Nyamira District Hospital in 1982.

HIGH DEMAND

"I was trained as a community health worker specialised in midwifery. I help women to deliver safely. I studied the anatomy of a woman and realised it is easy to help in cutting the girls at home to make extra money. In the 1990s demand was very high. I could cut over 100 girls," she confesses.

She adds: "At present, I do it but secretly. I go to my customers' homes, I do my work and leave very early and nobody would know anything has happened."

She defends what she does, arguing it is safer compared to the traditional FGM.

"If a girl goes to those who procure it traditionally it is very painful. The woman would sprinkle a pinch of millet flour, search the clitoris with bare fingers, grab it with finger nails and then cut it using some crude pocket knife," she explains, saying what she does as a 'professional' is less painful and bears minimal risk.

She says dozens of her competitors are trained nurses working at local health centres. 

"They do it at home where it is difficult for them to be caught," she says. 

Her husband is an elder at a local church. She goes to the same church that for decades has been at the forefront of anti-FGM campaigns.

She agrees FGM is bad and wants to stop but pressure from villagers in cultural bondage and the monetary gain become overwhelming.

She says she charges between Sh300 to Sh700 for her services per girl. She adds that culturally, cutting girls tones down their sexual urge, making them faithful in marriage.  

"We have established that nurses are involved in cutting the girls, although privately. Those who do it traditionally have declined. The community has gone silent about it but our girls are suffering," said Gender and Social Services County Director Alice Oyioka.

She says the cultural view on FGM was misguided and the cut had short and long-term effects on the the reproductive health of women.

County Commissioner Josephine Onunga has put chief and their assistants on notice if they fail to report FGM cases.

"There are stringent laws that criminalise FGM. Chiefs must take an active role in reporting all incidents within their areas of jurisdiction so that appropriate action is taken," said Ms Onunga.

"We must stop preaching water while taking wine. The community should not be bonded by an outdated culture. Citizens must be vigilant and report all that happens in villages. Nyumba Kumi initiative should also be capable of addressing this challenge," she said.

Nyamira County Director of Health Jack Magara has called on the public to share information with his office on nurses who procure FGM for appropriate action.

"FGM is not a medically acceptable practice and no school of nursing teaches it as part of a curriculum. Anybody found to have procured it risks jail," warned Dr Magara.  

Speaking in Kisii County recently, Anti-FGM Board Chairperson Linah Chebii Kilimo claimed the region tops in the medicalisation of the vice.

She noted it was worrying that despite huge resources going into various sensitisation programmes, FGM was still rampant in the region.

She urged political leaders to lead the way in defending the rights of the girl child and women in general.