West Pokot girls now 'face the cut as gospel songs rend the air' in cover-up
FGM perpetrators in West Pokot County are now organising circumcision events at night and using gospel songs to avoid suspicion.
What you need to know:
- The latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey report indicates that West Pokot is second in the country in teenage pregnancies at (36 per cent), an increase from 29 per cent in 2014.
- Pokot Girl Child Network coordinator Teresa Lokichu said parents organise parties secretly and sing church songs during the events to avoid suspicion.
West Pokot County is reporting an alarming rate of teenage pregnancies, female genital mutilation (FGM), and early and forced marriages due to rampant night parties, celebrations and church crusades, lobby groups have revealed.
The latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey report indicates that West Pokot is second in the country in teenage pregnancies at (36 per cent), an increase from 29 per cent in 2014.
Pokot Girl Child Network coordinator Teresa Lokichu said parents organise the parties secretly during which those in attendance sing church songs to avoid raising suspicion.
“Church crusades at night should be banned as many parents and circumcisers have decided to hide in the church since the law is tough on them. They sing praise and worship songs to fool police as they subject innocent girls to the cut,” she said.
Ms Lokichu urged the national government to set aside funds for setting up low-cost boarding schools in areas where FGM is still rampant.
“Residents should embrace the anti-FGM law," she said. “Celebrations like Kidong’a, women's silk meetings, and night church prayers have contributed to the rise.”
Kenya Organisation Director Jefferson Mudaki also expressed concern about the high number of unintended pregnancies. He said many night events are exposing schoolgirls to the risk of FGM, teenage pregnancies and early marriages in parts of the county. He said FGM perpetrators have changed tack and are now carrying out the harmful practice at night pretending to attend church ceremonies.
“Teenage pregnancy has become one of the big menaces in the county. This is a pastoral community where issues of sexuality are not discussed openly; it is a taboo.”
Impact on education
He said the situation is hurting academic progress. “Some parents have taken advantage of public activities to organise illegal parties where girls are cut,” said Mr Mudaki, accusing local politicians of undermining campaigns against the vice.
“We need to curb unwanted pregnancies, which eventually lead to early marriages for the girls.”
Mr Kudaki said the night prayers, commonly referred to as kesha, provide an opportunity for men to prey on young girls. “Parents should be aware at all times of where their children are and what activities they are undertaking. No girl should attend the night prayers or parties. Let them attend church during the day and on Sundays, but should stay at home during the night.”
Mr Mudaki warned parents and guardians planning to circumcise or marry off their girls that they will face the law. “No girl should be subjected to female genital mutilation or early marriage. It is saddening to see underage girls getting pregnant and being forced to get married at the ages of 13 to 17. This is uncalled for and we condemn such acts in the strongest terms possible.”
However, Deputy Governor Robert Komolle accused the national government administrators of encouraging the Kwara Kwara dance, which is blamed for the “rise in immorality”. “The government should put measures in place to curb the dance. Chiefs should ensure the dance is no longer there in their areas,” he said.
He termed it wrong for young children to engage in night dances. “Young children don’t engage in harambees; why do they participate? The dance is messing up many children in Kacheliba and Sigor,” he said.
But Alale Assistant County Commissioner Maurice Ogweno said they have put in place strategies to fight the practices. “The issue has been prevalent for a long time because the community is conservative, but chiefs have tried to arrest the situation by cracking down on the perpetrators and managing behavioural change.”
He said five FGM cases have been prosecuted in the last year. “The community is comfortable settling their cases out of court. They are being undertaken secretly,” said Mr Ogweno.
Ban
For his part, County Commissioner Apollo Okello said the government had banned night events in West Pokot following increased teenage pregnancies and early forced marriages. He noted that Kwara kwara dance, which is usually done during harambees and other ceremonies, was leading to “immorality and prostitution” among young girls, prompting them to drop out of school.
Mr Okello cautioned that the dance is rolling back the gains made in educating children, especially the girls. “Let people have celebrations during the day till 6pm. The night dances are catalysts for the increasing numbers of early pregnancies and early marriages.”
He advised parents to look after their children when not in school. “It is the responsibility of parents to ensure girls are safe. Let’s work together to save girls from the vices,” he said.
The county commissioner directed chiefs to ensure no child fails to return to school because of early pregnancy or forced marriage. “We don’t want our children to fail to go to school. We want chiefs to ensure all children in their jurisdiction go back to school.”
