The Bukwo RDC Hashaka Mpimbaza has expressed disappointment in civil Society Organisations for failing to support the thirteen-year-old who was raped and impregnated by her cousin’s brother.
This was during the commemoration of the zero female genital mutilation FGM held at Kween Health center in Kween district organized by Action Aid on Tuesday 22nd of March under the theme “Accelerating investment to end female genital mutilation“.
The international day of zero tolerance for FGM is an international awareness day conducted to educate actors of movement and the general public on what can be done better to end FGM.
In December 2012 the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on intensifying global effort for the elimination of female genital mutilations.
In Uganda, the day has been held since it was adopted at the International Conference on zero tolerance to FGM in A disgrace Ababain February 2003 organized by the Inter African committee.
However, In eastern Uganda, the act is still practiced in the Sebei subregion in the districts of Kapchorwa, Kween, Bukwo, and Karamoja region.
Hashaka Mpimbaza the Bukwo RDC says that the act remains a big problem in the Sebei region. He added that there is so much violence on to the young girls citing the incident of a thirteen years old girl who was raped and impregnated by her cousin’s brother.
Mpimbaza says that he approached the Action aid on this matter but did not get a positive result.
He noted that he personally reported the matter to action aid but was not helped. He says that they should set ways of shaming and defaming those who are violent girls and also advocating genital mutilation adding that as representatives of the president they are to come out and fight bad acts.
Sarah Chebeti, a human rights activist says that people still go to private areas to practice FGM. She adds that FGM is an income-generating activity to the mutilators which makes it hard to be curbed.
Chebeti says that they want a Gender-Based Violence and FGM-free community adding that as youths they can commit themselves against FGM with the help of stakeholders.
Evaline Kubalike the chairperson of Kapchorwa who was also the chief guest says that the reason why sabinys are practicing this is due to the grandparents who were cattle herders who had the fear that their wives would cheat on them when off for work.
The fact that cutting off the female genitals reduces sexual urge made men push their wives into the practice.
Kubalike says that since the sabinys no longer have cattle this practice should stop adding that she feels very small and embarrassing being emulated.
She adds that the practice increased due to the effects of covid 19 that left many teenage girls pregnant which the mutilators used as a chance to get these young girls for mutilation the commemoration all religious leaders, politicians have vowed and committed themselves to combine efforts against female genital mutilation and violence.
