This archive report was first published on 26 September 2021.
September 26, 2021
Alice, a pregnant woman, was circumcised at 11 and later forced into a cultural arrangement known as Nyumba Mboke in Kehancha, Kuria. She was 'married' to a woman and had to find men to sire children, resulting in her contracting HIV/AIDS.
Catherine Tingo, the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) coordinator for Kuria East, explains that women adopted this practice to have male children and ensure family continuity. However, it has led to the spread of HIV/AIDS in the community.
According to George Chacha, a local leader, Nyumba Mboke is 'killing people' because the woman who has been 'married' by another woman is a 'partner' for every man in the village.
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Nelly Bosire notes that having multiple sexual partners increases the risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS and HPV, which causes cervical cancer.
Higher risk of cervical cancer is also a concern, as women with HIV are more likely to develop the disease. Sophia, a mother of four, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013 after being forced into a similar arrangement.
According to the National Aids Control Council 2018, Migori County has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in Kenya and Africa, at 13.3 per cent.
