As schools close for the long December holidays, parents in Embu have been warned against taking their girls through the outlawed Female Genital Mutilation.
The warning comes at a time that the retrogressive practice that had almost been eradicated is said to be making a comeback.
The practice is usually carried out during school holidays where families send their teenage daughters to the neighboring counties for the cut on the pretext of going to visit relatives.
Led by Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo, the leaders issued a stern warning to perpetrators that legal action will be taken against them, saying they will not allow anyone to destroy the lives of the young girls.
Speaking on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of over 800 ECDE learners who are transiting to Grade 1 in Gachoka, Mbeere South Sub- County, the DG said the practice was robbing the victims of their dignity and future career dreams as many are forced to drop out of school out of shame.
He called for support from members of the public by reporting such incidents to the authorities to bring the notorious practice to an end, saying the community bears the biggest responsibility in the fight.
The DG called on parents to also be vigilant to ensure their children are safe during this two-month long holiday so that they do not fall prey to other vices such as early pregnancies that were a big threat to the education of girls in the county.
“We should be on the lookout and report all goings-on that portend danger to our young girls,” he said while appealing to members of the society not to keep quiet when such criminal acts are taking place.
His sentiments were echoed by Mbeti South MCA Murithi Kiura who stated that the county assembly had come up with a legislation criminalising FGM with tough legal measures.
The leaders also urged parents not to engage the young ones in child labour and instead enrol them in programmes such as mentorship that are beneficial in molding them into responsible adults.
By Samuel Waititu
