Sabaot Community Call For Cultural Centre As They Sign Declaration Against FGM
By Isabella Maua
The Council of Elders from the Sabaot Community in Mt. Elgon has officially made a public and national declaration to end female genital mutilation in the region.
In a colourful and rather touching ceremony held at Kopsiro, the elders representing the six subtribes of the Sabaot, namely Agiek, Ndorobo, Bong’omek, Someek, Bok, and Sabiny, officially declared FGM an unacceptable criminal act within the community.
Speaking during the declaration, Sosi Chemosit, chairperson of the Council of Elders, challenged the government and well-wishers to put up modern schools within the region so as to curb the vice for good.
“We still lag behind in matters of education, and our level of literacy is still wanting; this is why we still talk about FGM in this modern age. More schools and improved infrastructure will definitely hasten the process of this agenda,” noted Chemosit.
Despite the foreseen success of the anti-FGM movement by the council of elders, which started two years ago, Rueben Butaki, Chairperson of the Supreme Council of Elders, observes that lack of cultural centres and established safe places for gender-based violence survivors remains a hindrance.
“We acknowledge the Samburu elders present here today for walking with us on this journey since 2022. The government of Kenya and Finland have been our greatest pillar, but we humbly request a centre to preserve and protect our culture,” reiterated Butaki.
Ipato Surum, the Anti-FGM Board Chair, on her part, acknowledged the efforts made by Mt. Elgon MP Fred Kapondi for pushing for the Anti-FGM bill in the parliament and following up to see that his community is in the forefront to fight the rather unacceptable and retrogressive norm.
“If it were my wish, circumcised women could be categorised as people with disabilities since they are very disadvantaged and vulnerable when it comes to their social and sexual lifestyle,” observed Surum.
She, on the other hand, challenged the council of elders, medical practitioners, and community health workers to continue advocating for peace and create awareness on gender-based violence.
“This signing is not just a ceremony but the start of a very serious campaign against the worst form of GBV. Go out and be true ambassadors of this noble cause,” she added.
The area MP Fred Kapondi also echoed Surum’s sentiments, observing with concern that Kopsiro remains the worst-hit area in matters of FGM because of its proximity to the borderline of Uganda.
“The national government and local administration have done a commendable job, and now the elders and other stakeholders need to use different avenues to address GBV and FGM since most young men lack knowledge from elders, hence the upsurge of GBV cases,” noted Kapondi.
Bungoma Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany accentuated the need for a strategic and substantive engagement of the marginalised group, persons with disabilities, as well as youths.
Mt. Elgon faces geographical and cross-border challenges that have greatly played a big role in affecting girls and women and impairing their sexual lives through FGM; we still have an isolated 2 percent of such cases in this area, and we must bring it to zero,” Mbatiany emphasised.
Roy Telewa, CEO of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), emphasised the need to fully support the elders in communities that still uphold backward, patriarchal, and dehumanising culture for the betterment of the present and future generations.
Principal Secretary in the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action in the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts, and Heritage, Ann Wan’gombe, lauded the Finnish government for involving elders in such crucial decision-making.
“We are glad to sign this declaration within the 16 days of activism against GBV; we shall be happy to see the community and all stakeholders strive and bring down cases from the current 15 percent to zero, hence the need for more sensitisation,” Wang’ombe reiterated.
Annu Rantalla, Head of Cooperation, Finland Government, divulged that they are continuously working with affected communities by empowering women and men with knowledge and expertise to fight GBV and especially FGM within Kenya.
“We have trained many psychological counsellors and experts in drug and substance abuse in Kilifi, Samburu, and Bungoma, and we intend to incorporate other communities like the Rendille and Gabbra, who are still deeply rooted in the inhumane culture,” said Rantalla.
Despite the Kenyan and Finnish governments pulling resources to fight the worst form of gender-based violence in the country, female genital mutilation, there’s a dire need for the Sabaots to preserve, protect, and hand over their rich culture to the young generation through education and alternative rites of passage.
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