The Chief Administrative Secretary for Youth and Gender Hon. Rachel Shebesh accompanied by officers from the Board engaged the Laikipia County local administration led by the County Commissioner, Deputy County Commissioners, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs on the implementation of the Presidential directive to end FGM.

The CAS said that the President has faith in the local administration particularly the Chiefs and the Asst. Chiefs as focal persons in the elimination of FGM as the officers on the ground. She however issued a stern warning to complacent chiefs that they risk arrests and even losing their jobs if found to have abetted the practice of FGM. “Having knowledge of the commission of FGM and failure to report or act is a crime of omission,” said Hon. Shebesh adding: “Our interest is not to have chiefs arrested but rather to end this harmful vice and save the girl child.”

She further called for a serious crackdown on perpetrators especially in Laikipia North where FGM is more prevalent in the county asked the chiefs to engage with the local leaders and the systems in place at the grass roots to ensure success.
Laikipia County is the sixth county we have held similar fora of the 22 hot spot counties and we shall be combing through all the hot spot counties in collaboration with UNFPA Kenya.