This archive report was first published on 19 November 2019.
On Tuesday, police in Keiyo conducted a sting operation under the cover of darkness, ambushing seven women aged 21 to 23 years who were set to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at Chepkogin village.
According to Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander John Mwinzi, the women were intercepted just in time before the operation began, with two knives and blankets recovered from the scene.
Following their arrest, the women claimed that their spouses had coerced them into undergoing the cut, with some set to get married and facing pressure to undergo the procedure before their weddings.
Commander Mwinzi warned the public that FGM is an illegal practice, and anyone found perpetuating it will face the law. He also emphasized the need for society to value women in their natural state, rather than subjecting them to early marriages and curtailing their future endeavors.
As part of the ongoing efforts to combat FGM, all security officers in the county are on high alert, with reports suggesting that thousands of women and young girls have been rounded up to undergo the cut as soon as the KCSE examination ends.
On Wednesday, the women will be taken to court after investigations are completed.
