The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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A 34-year-old mother of three from Kocholwo village in Keiyo South Sub County has become the latest victim of gender-based violence (GBV) after being forced by her husband to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) while pregnant, resulting in her death from excessive bleeding.
Keiyo South Deputy County Commissioner, Diana Wekesa, reported that the deceased was subjected to the procedure alongside her 45-year-old co-wife, who narrowly survived after also bleeding heavily. The co-wife was rushed to Kamwosor Subcounty Hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment.
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The DCC explained that the husband arranged for a circumciser to perform the procedure at their home. After realizing that the operation had gone wrong, the circumciser reported the incident to the assistant chief in Kocholwo, leading to the arrest of the husband before he was handed over to Kaptagat police.
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Reports indicate that the family planned for the circumcision of the first wife’s sons that Saturday. As part of the tradition, the two women were forced to undergo FGM, as it was considered an ill omen for uncircumcised women to cook for their circumcised sons.
Authorities are now searching for the husband, who fled the scene following the incident. The DCC emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents to the police to prevent further tragedies. She reiterated that FGM remains illegal in Kenya due to its harmful impact on women’s health, and urged the community to abandon the outdated practice in favor of more progressive alternatives.
“There’s a reason why health experts advise against FGM. This decision was not made lightly,” she said, calling on the community to abandon the harmful tradition.
