Impunity: Bandits offer protection as girls undergo FGM in Embobut Forest

A killed police officer, an injured priest, and six circumcised girls hospitalised — all in three days.

This is the ugly face of impunity in Embobut, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, where hundreds of girls are feared to have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) under the tight security of armed gangs.

The murderous gangs are ready to confront any perceived threats — in this case, any rescue effort.

Such was the case on Monday when a menacing gang ambushed and killed a police officer, moments after a security team conducted an operation in Embobut forest to rescue girls undergoing the ‘cut’.

Six girls had already been circumcised when they were rescued, and are currently hospitalised at the Iten County Referral Hospital.

Rattled by the rescue mission, an angry mob, armed with all manner of crude weapons, including firearms, stormed Maron Police Post in Embobut, Marakwet East, demanding to know ‘why the officers were rounding up their girls’.

According to sources, the officer who was killed was caught unawares and had attempted to engage the angry mob in a talk, not knowing they were on a murderous mission. He was killed as he attempted to dash to his house for safety, after sensing danger.

According to rights activist Viola Cherono, the mob wanted to set the officer’s body on fire but his colleagues quickly mobilised to repulse them.

The body was moved from Maron to Kapsowar Mission Hospital on Monday night.

The incident happened just a day after Catholic priest Amos Kimutai of St. Kizito Catholic Church was attacked by another gang when he tried to stop the circumcision of girls as young as five years old in Kamoi village.

Some 15 girls are said to have been ‘cut’ by the time he was attempting to intervene.

‘Nation’ has established that female circumcision is going on unabated this holiday season under tight security of bandits.

Endo and Embobut/Embolot wards in Marakwet East are the worst affected, where the outlawed practice is being carried out with impunity.

Rights activists estimate that at least 500 girls could have undergone the cut at home and in the dense Embobut forest. The gangs are hostile and ruthless, according to sources.

“The situation in Marakwet East Sub-county, which is an FGM hotspot, is terrible,” Elgeyo Marakwet County Director of Gender Joseph Amuke told ‘Nation’ on Tuesday, confirming that six circumcised girls had been rescued and hospitalised at the Iten County Referral Hospital where they received post-FGM care.

“We have rescued about 170 girls,” he said.

At Chesoi Rescue Centre, the number of rescued girls has steadily been growing since schools closed last month.

By Tuesday, the rescue centre was hosting 71 girls who had escaped the knife, County Police Commander Peter Mulinge said.

According to the police boss, a confrontation ensued between the circumcisers’ side and 10 General Service Unit officers who had earlier been dispatched to Embobut forest to rescue the girls.

“There was a rescue operation for girls who were undergoing FGM, and some of them had already been mutilated. There were many but six were rescued, but those who were conducting the rite were protected by bandits and so they turned against the officers,” Mr Mulinge said.

“The officers were not overpowered. The gang felt aggrieved and followed them to the police post and caught one of the officers unawares and they killed him within the police post,” he said.

Although it is outlawed, FGM is still prevalent in some North Rift counties, especially in Elgeyo-Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo.

Ms Cherono, the rights activist, said the problem has reached alarming levels.

“Girls are being cut at alarming levels and those doing it don't care about the law anymore,” she said.

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