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{
    "id": 56341,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/56341/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 309,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 158,
        "legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
        "slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
    },
    "content": "The requirements of the new Constitution that is in operation now prohibit gender discrimination and all harmful cultural practices that are not consistent with human dignity. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to thank the Mover of this Motion, hon. Kapondi, for being man enough to bring this issue before the Floor of the House. We ask our other Members of the Kenya Women Parliamentarians Association (KEWOPA) because they are bona fide members, not to bring this because we do not want it to be seen like a women affair. We do not want it to be seen as a gender issue. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to tell you about the pain that our girls undergo when they go through that practice. Even before I do that, I want to put my credentials on the Floor. I wish I could actually be laid on the Table for examination. It says that: “The ethnic groups that do not practice Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) include the Luo, Luhya, Turkana, Teso and Pokomo.” In fact, for us, we do not even practice male mutilation. But because of health considerations, we are now encouraging it. There is a serious drive in Lodwar Hospital as we speak. Our males are being “cut” now. That is critical. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to ask my good friend, hon. Duale and all other friends of mine in Samburu--- That is because I always speak for the pastoralist child. When you look at the communities that--- It is nearly universal for certain ethnic groups such as the Somali, Abagusii, Kuria and Maasai to practise FGM. Those groups are purely pastoralists. What that practice has been encouraging is those traditional attitudes where we think the female is less of a human being. We want to come out of that attitude. We want this country to appreciate that each and every child of this nation is a bona fide citizen and must be given all the opportunities that this country and the world can offer. Indeed, if you look at the legal framework that the Government must offer - and I am glad the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development is here--- The current Constitution which I have quoted, the Children Act, 2001, the Kenya Vision 2030, the National Policy for the Abandonment of FGM--- We have that policy in place but the practice still continues. What we have done with that Act is to ensure that the Government is under obligation. If you look at Article 10, it compels the Government and I read:- “The Government shall take necessary steps within its available resources (in fact, I will bring an amendment of “our available resources”). It will look for the necessary and sufficient resources to ensure that, that is done. (a) To protect women and girls from FGM. (b) To provide support services for victims of FGM. Then (c) is the most important. It should not be like the Children’s Act where we want every child to go to school and we still allow our parents to keep children in their homes. The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development is a good Minister. She knows the plight of our children. We are helping her with this Bill to ensure that the law is backing her initiatives and we are expecting nothing but action. Madam, Temporary Deputy Speaker, part (c) says:- “Undertake public education and sensitise the people of Kenya on the dangers and adverse effects of FGM”. On that part, KEWOPA, through Parliament, has actually been engaging Members of Parliament and those of us who are members of the Pastoralists Parliamentary Group (PPG). That is because we are a target group. We have been appealing to hon. Members of this House and from those communities that we have a historical moment to ensure that, that practice that has destroyed lives and made our children suffer for so long will come to an end now and not tomorrow. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, already, we are losing 7,000 lives every year when our mothers are giving birth. We have 48,000 out of 100,000 live births that we are still losing in this country. The practice has been the one making some of those statistics even worse. The moment we deal with that problem as provided for in this law, we are going to see more of our women surviving at birth. We are going to see more women living healthy lives. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, only yesterday, I talked about the distances that some of our women in the rural areas travel in search of water and other basic things. Do we want to burden them with things that are not necessary completely – things that we can do away with? Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, in fact, the greatest advocate against FGM is a man from Northern Kenya. He is a doctor. For those who would like to see the pictures, you cannot believe that you can do this to humanity. You cannot be proud that you are talking about the Wagalla Masssacre. We cannot be proud that we are talking about the post-independence Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). We are still continuing with such practices that are just as bad as the Wagalla Massacre, IDPs and the people who were injured and killed. That practice has continued to kill our people and our girls, in particular. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, this House has an opportunity to demonstrate to the whole country the leadership that is required in terms of policy formulation. This House has an opportunity to congratulate hon. Linah Kilimo. That Assistant Minister has single-handedly been the crusader of that particular problem where she comes from in Marakwet. This House can only come to the aid of a Member who has demonstrated that there is a problem. This House can come to the aid of our female Members of Parliament who have actually decided that they know there is a shoe wearer who knows where the shoe pinches most. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I am glad that my Vice-Chairman of the PPG, the hon. Nkaissery, is here in person. My other great official, the hon. Aden Duale, is also here in person. I am hoping that by the time we pass this Bill, those of us who come from areas where it is considered a universal practice will, at least, have done something for the people who brought us to this Parliament. With those remarks, I beg to second."
}