A section of women leaders in Trans Nzoia County have petitioned the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the National Gender and Equality Commission and Anti-Female Genital Mutilation to take action against Trans Nzoia County Executive Committee Member in charge of agriculture Phanice Naliaka Khatundi.
The leaders accused the CECM of demeaning women from communities that originally practised Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Reacting to Khatundi’s remarks which have since gone viral on social media, Trans Nzoia Women Leaders Community Based Organization chairperson Immaculate Shamala said the words are not only offensive but also amounts to violation of the human dignity and rights of FGM survivors.
In a strongly worded petition addressed to the three independent commissions, Shamala said using FGM to demean an elected leader should not be accepted in Kenya.
“For a leader in public office to use it (FGM) as a means to demean another individual especially an elected leader, the County Member of Parliament for Trans-Nzoia is a blatant disregard for the pain and trauma endured by survivors of this harmful practice. It trivializes ongoing efforts to combat FGM and protect girls from this form of gender-based violence,” she stated.
Did Phanice Khatundi violate the constitution?
The CBO further said Khatundi’s statements violate the constitutional rights of individuals and undermine the fight against harmful cultural practices.
“These statements constitute a mockery of the laws of Kenya, including the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, the Constitution of Kenya (which upholds the dignity and rights of all persons), and international human rights conventions that Kenya has ratified,” it said.
They expressed their concern that if such statements are allowed to thrive, they are likely to fuel stigma and discrimination against survivors of FGM, violating their right to dignity and protection under the law.
In addition, the women leaders demanded for public condemnation of the county executive’s statement, and that disciplinary action be taken against her.
“We urge the relevant authorities to take disciplinary action against Phanice Khatundi for her derogatory and harmful remarks. A public leader must be held accountable for words that incite stigma and demean survivors of human rights violations,” they appealed.
They also called for mandatory sensitization and training for all county officials in Trans-Nzoia County on gender-sensitive communication, human rights, and the harmful impact of FGM on women and girls.
Bungoma County Deputy Governor Jennifer Mbatiany has also condemned the demeaning remarks.
Khatundi made the remarks during a free seed maize distribution exercise in the cosmopolitan county.
She was responding to Trans Nzoia County Member of Parliament Lilian Siyoi who challenged Governor George Natembeya to concentrate on service delivery instead of politicking and opposing National government policies and projects.
Anti-FGM board has since demanded for public apology from Khatundi. The board also called for immediate retraction of the remarks.
