BY MANUEL ODENY

Gender activists have blamed a statement by President William Ruto on culture freedom for fueling a spate of Female Genital Mutilation.

Ruto, during a recent cultural event in Northern part of the country made the remarks which was blown out of proportion by elders from communities that circumcise girls.

Benter Ombwayo a monitoring and evaluation expert from Norway said for the past decade while working against FGM in Migori and Narok counties, last December the high number of girls being circumcised among Kuria, Maasai and Somali communities was alarming.

She said elders pushed through a widespread circumcised which reversed even the gains they had made.

“We were shocked that what we did in a decade was marred by reverse psychology because we had many girls who were circumcised, the community felt empowered and were open,” she said.

She said international donors felt discouraged by remarks from the president and other leaders.

“When you try to invest in a community and their leaders antagonuise your efforts it feels bad,” she added.

George Alambo, a program officer with Micontrap Kenya said they lost many girls to circumcision in the last festive season, part to those remarks.

“We will be keen and are worried how January we will open school and if going children will be back, we will engage schools as the first two weeks of reporting,” Alambo said.

Johnstone Mwita, Bugumbe Central Senior Chief in Kuria said the remarks by the head of state was blown out of proportion.

“We had extra work in controlling the vice and telling the community the remarks was not true,” he said.

The three were peaking in Getong’anya and Mutinti villages in Kuria region during an open town hall baraza on ending the vice in Kenya.

FGM, which was illegalised, has been blamed for fueling gender based violence cases, teen pregnancies, marriages and school drop out