By Onyimbi Nelson
During the Turkana Cultural Festival dubbed ‘Tobong’u Lore’ in October 2024, President William Ruto highlighted the importance of upholding UNESCO’s frameworks that call for the preservation of traditions passed through generations and the call for creative innovations in a globalized world. Despite previous sentiments the President has on record calling for the end of harmful traditional cultures, including female genital mutilation (FGM) and resultant child marriages, many pro-harmful traditional culture activists took the statement in Turkana as a green light to further their agendas against the law.
Globally, several countries practiced FGM for various reasons including as a rite of passage. However, through global developments brought about by the promotion of human dignity and human rights, many countries dropped the culture. It is currently listed as a harmful cultural practice by the World Health Organization, given the severe physical, mental, and psychological effects that it leaves to, mostly, young girls and women who make up a larger percentage of targets.
Even as custodians of this harmful culture misuse the President’s statement of cultural preservation, around the country some cultures still maintain the practice with rapidly mutating techniques including transporting young girls and women in the dark, anonymously, or disguised as boys during the male circumcision ceremonies. In border counties such as Migori, a large number are transported across the border where legal restrictions against the culture are more relaxed.
Hence, understanding the socioeconomic context of the President’s statement is important, and it is upon community leaders, grassroots organizations, and community-based advocates to perpetuate the understanding. Misunderstanding of the statements in the recent ceremony in Kuria, Migori County, led to clashes between cultural custodians, enforcement authorities, and human rights groups, often ending with dire consequences.
Armed with the community’s trust and better contextual understanding, these entities should also involve key community members in the anti-harmful traditional culture interventions in a participatory manner for culturally sensitive, inclusive, and responsive policies.
However, grassroots work alone is not enough. Political leadership, through targeted and informed public statements, is very important in setting the tone and taking a moral stand. President Ruto’s clear denunciation of FGM is an example of how leaders can use their platforms and positions to challenge retrogressive cultural norms while supporting progressive cultural evolution.
