This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
On November 14, 2019, police in Thika, Kenya, made a shocking discovery that would change the lives of four young girls forever.
Three women had been secretly subjecting their daughters to the cruel practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), a tradition that has been widely condemned in Kenya.
The girls, aged between 9 and 12 years, were found locked in a house in Majengo estate, with their mothers guarding outside. After being interrogated, the women revealed that they had been forced by their parents to undergo the cut.
Thika West Sub County Police Commander Beatrice Kiraguri led the operation, which was sparked by a tip-off from the public. The police quickly swung into action, arresting the three women and detaining them at the Thika police station.
"We found the girls locked in the house and their mothers guarding outside," Commander Kiraguri said. "After interrogating them, they informed that they were forced by their parents to undergo the cut."
The police have launched a manhunt for the elderly woman who carried out the circumcision, promising that she will soon be apprehended. The practice of FGM will not be tolerated in Thika, and anyone found guilty will face the full wrath of the law.
Local residents have praised the police for their swift action, with some calling it the first reported incident of FGM in the estate. The arrest comes just days after President Uhuru Kenyatta warned those who practice FGM that they will be dealt with firmly.
