Central region kicks off 60-days' fight against gangland FGM

Security agencies in Central Region has put in place a 60-day Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) in the fight against a gang forcibly circumcising women.

“We have mapped the problematic areas invested by this silly gang. The misfits behind the menace are packaged as cultural purist societies but unregistered. They congregate as religion but worship like criminals. We will deal with them,” Central Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga told nation.africa.

Last week, a middle-aged woman was hospitalised with injuries on her private parts after the gang circumcised her in Kandara, Murang’a County.

Mr Nyagwanga said he has instructed all Sub-county security committees to be on the lookout for the groupings associated with female circumcision doctrines.

Pounce on them

“We have the names of the suspect societies and the names behind them. We have placed them on our radar and will pounce on them,” he said.

He said two suspects have so far been arrested in Murang'a and have been arraigned in court.

Security agents believe the gang is a scion of the Mungiki sect.

Its activities are concentrated in Murang’a, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Nyandarua and parts of Laikipia counties with security officers now on the receiving end for giving it space to terrorise the society.

Public Service and Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Jebii Kilimo on Friday told nation.africa that the gang is currently operational in Laikipia, Nyandarua, Murang'a and establishing bases in Nyeri, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga and parts of Nakuru.

“They are saying they want a Múgíkúyú woman to be whole as per dictates of area culture. They want their woman to evolve backwards from modernity to archaism. It's a pure classic case of logical nonsense,” she hit out.

Ms Kilimo recently visited Kandara Sub-county to address the issue after a number of women complained of living in terror after they were circumcised.

Her visit came after a woman identified as Hellen Wangui went public on how her husband, a member of the gang, planned a night ceremony in his home to have her and their two daughters circumcised.

Safe house

“He came to our Kariti Village with his members who were about 10 and said they were there to have me and our daughters aged eight and two years circumcised. I fought and managed to run away with my two daughters,” she said.

 The woman who has since been rescued to a safe house by Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege, sensationally claimed that when she reported the matter to her assistant chief, she was advised to “go and have the cut since it was no big deal and it would win me peace.”

Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata said the gang has the blessings of some unscrupulous political and cultural class.

“We have some men who say they belong to the Council of Elders and are behind the gang. It also has the blessings of some senior politicians in the region. Our security managers in this region must declare the activities of this gang as a regional disaster, and all of us politicians must publicly denounce it, sanction its annihilation,” he said.

 Gikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago acknowledged the existence of the gang.

“But is not in any way affiliated nor sanctioned by us; its activities are criminal and should be dealt with,” he said.

According to Sports and Culture CAS Zack Kinuthia the government will work closely with village elders, cultural purists, the clergy and administrators in the Interior ministry to seek ways of winning the FGM war not only in Central region but in the whole country.

The CAS said school managers have been put on high alert to be vigilant and try as much as possible to detect threats to schoolgirls by the gang on the prowl.

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