Merida Omahe (centre) Chairperson Maendeleo ya Wanawake Kuria Sub-County with some of her group members during an interview with Tusemezane

Peace initiative Kenya (PIK) in conjunction with RAPADO have set out an initiative project to reach out women community in Kuria East sub-county in the aim of understanding the common woman to woman marriage practice and intensify campaign against Female Genital Mutilation.

Young girls in the community are usually forced to early marriages. Girls of about 10-17 years old are the main victims. The girl child is therefore disadvantaged in getting education unlike the boy child who is usually given preference.

To the eyes of the community, they are normally seen as cooking ovens to bear children.

Merida Omalie, Chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Kuria East sub-county, explains how girls are tricked to barbaric act of FGM.

“Young girls are deceived through the fact that ‘the cut’ automatically makes them mature women locally known as Omuiseke. Initiation period traumatise most girls who seek refuge elsewhere. They are later criticised by members of the community including fellow friends and being branded the name Omusakani meaning the uncircumcised,” says Omalie.

Omalie reveals that many young girls are forced into early marriages due to the impoverished state of their livelihood adding that such girls are taken in by not only elderly men but also elderly women as their partners.

“Through the support of our women group we rescue these girls and put them under our care then nurture their self-esteem from examples of women who have made great success in life but never went through the knife,” says Omalie.

Maendeleo ya Wanawake chair points out Kubira village in Kuria East sub-county where it is common for barren elderly woman to ask a young girl as a bride from a particular homestead of desire.

“She pays dowry mostly inform of cattle to the parents of the girl. This is also practiced among elderly couples who do not have children, once the girl is taken to their new home a suiting man is put in search so that they can bear “grandchildren” for the elderly woman or couple. At this point the girl is denied right to choose her desired partner,” Omalie reveals.

She adds that the man chosen is required to prove his worth as to the expectations of the elderly woman, if he is befitting then he is chased out of the homestead this results to the girl having multiple husbands not to mention children from different men.

Omalie reiterates that victims to this prejudice are mostly school dropouts or underage girls with early pregnancies. Merida explains that at times girls are usually chosen at a tender age of 5 years and dowry is usually paid in bits as she grows until she matures to be a suitable bride.

A local women’s group known as GOCESO (Gokeharaka Central and South) also headed by Omalie has greatly created awareness to most women in the Kuria East sub-county. The group is well known for educating women on their rights and strongly creating a woman empowered community. They have taken responsibility in rescuing young girls who are forcefully taken through FGM. Due to their relentless efforts these practices have greatly reduced in Kubintu village.

Maria Boke a middle age woman in her 30s is a victim of misfortune to these cultural practices. Being the first born daughter to a father who had passed on, she had to fend for the family at young age of 10. Living in Kubintu village she had a difficult and impoverished life; dropping out of school to take care of her mother.

Boke fled to Kericho at the age of 15 after her uncle opted to force her into marriage. With no one to provide for her she went back since she was haunted by leaving her mother in a sickbed.

She soon got pregnant at an early age; having no money, pressure from relatives forced her to be a bride to a married elderly woman who promised to pay large amounts to her mother.

While in her new home, the brother to the woman’s husband was forcefully given to her as the suitable man she says.

They had two children with the man but differences put them apart who later left her.

In her search to feed and support the children another man came her way who stayed with her for 9 years.

The man agreed to support and takes her children to school after which they had two more children. Speaking with remorse she says that she depended mostly on well-wishers to take all her children to school. Complications rose on her last child birth, unfortunately the husband left and she has not heard of him since.

Maria came in touch with GOCESO where she got empowerment through education.

“Their help gave me support and now i can stand on my own feet,” says Maria.

Merida Omalie is disappointed by the fact that the community readily accepts FGM and it is widely celebrated.

“Red flags are usually hanged around houses and girls are disguisedly dressed as boys,” Merida says. “Since we enforce these laws prohibiting FGM, they fear us and rarely publicize their acts openly.”

Mrs. Omalie condemnably speaks to elderly women asking them to rather legally adopt needy children than to take advantage of their situation. She adds that the County Government should do more to help the girl child in our community other than abandoning them in such occasions that happen in their midst.