Nyamira County First Lady Naomi Nyagarama believes that the country will lose the war against Female Genital Mutilation if authorities continue to arrest alleged perpetrators.
In recent weeks, a number of people believed to be masterminds of FGM in the larger Gusii region were arrested in different parts and taken to police custody according to her.
However, Nyagarama challenged the nation to invest in civic education in rural areas during her address to county women in honour of International Women Day on Tuesday.
“Personally I don’t believe that we can be able to fight FGM by arresting those who are believed to be masterminds and I have seen in the past. The apprehensions won’t help at all and that is a fact. The nation has to invest in civic education to combat this menace,” she said.
According to her, many cases of FGM were done secretly, making it difficult for authorities to deal with the perpetrators.
‘Even if you arrest some, I bet that many of these cases are done secretly making it difficult to arrest those responsible. We have to change tack as a nation and that involves investing in civic education,” she said, arguing that education will sensitise people on FGM risks.
She challenged the national government to empower chiefs and their assistants and deploy a number of medics who would be mandated to convene anti-FGM seminars at grassroots.
“Our chiefs and their assistants are very close to people. The national government should empower them and also deploy medical experts who would be mandated to convene seminars to educate our people. This will boost a number of anti-FGM activities coordinated by well-wishers,” she added.
Photo: Naomi Nyagarama during International Women Day. She argues that the country will lose the fight against FGM if it countinues to arrest perpetrators and called for funding of civic education. AMakori/Hivisasa.com