Ruto Vows to Eradicate FGM by the End of His Tenure

President William Ruto yesterday said his government is committed towards eradicating female genital mutilation (FGM) by end of his tenure.

“I want to assure support from my administration in the elimination of FGM as it is retrogressive and a danger to the health of our girls,” Ruto said.

He said that FGM should not be a conversation in Kenya in the 21st Century assuring that his administration is fully behind eliminating FGM.

He was speaking during the launch of the Administration of Justice in Kenya Annual Report 2021/22.

Also speaking during the launch, Chief Justice Martha Koome called upon all Kenyans step up the fight against FGM and early marriages.

She added that for the fight to be successful, girls and women should be involved in anti-FGM policymaking.

During his tenure, former president Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019 had promised to eradicate FGM by the end of 2022.

Currently around 4 million, or one in five, women and girls in Kenya have been subjected to FGM and the prevalence stands at 21 percent as of 2021.

In a bid to strengthen legislatives against FGM, Kenya in 2011 outlawed FGM. This law put stringent penalties on perpetrators who perform and aid the vice, those in possession of tools to carry out the vice and a failure to report a perpetrator.

Violation of the law attracts three years in prison or a fine of sh.200, 000 or both. A person who causes death to a girl or woman through FGM is liable to life imprisonment.