Woman forces twin daughters to undergo FGM to avoid ‘family curse’

Police on Wednesday rescued two girls aged 12 years hidden at a home in Igambang’ombe Constituency, Tharaka-Nithi County, after allegedly undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM).

Senior Sergeant Patrick Munene said the officers acted after receiving a tip off from Plan International, an independent children’s rights organisation.

Munene said the twins had been mutilated by a well-known woman in the area who allegedly collaborated with their mother.

The officer revealed that the girls were taken to Chuka Referral Hospital where they received treatment before they were transferred to the child department as investigations continue.

According to a clinical officer at the hospital who sought anonymity, one of the girls had been infected with a bacteria disease and was put under medication.

The mother to the girls said she had circumcised her other four girls to avoid a family curse that had caused her mental problems when she ignored the cut.

She claimed her mental problems disappeared after undergoing the procedure.

According to mother, her deceased grandfather had instructed the family to perform the procedure on all the girls in their family lineage or face consequences.