Moyale Court Convicts Woman in FGM Case as Fight Against Practice Persists in Northern Kenya

May 23, 2026 - A court in Moyale, Marsabit County, has convicted and sentenced a woman for performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on three minors, highlighting the continued struggle to eliminate the outlawed practice in northern Kenya.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the Principal Magistrate’s Court in Moyale found Sire Dima Bante guilty on three counts of performing FGM contrary to Section 19(1) as read together with Section 29 of the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, 2011.

The court heard that the accused unlawfully subjected the three minors to FGM at Qate Location in Moyale Sub-County on October 26, 2025.

Upon conviction, the court sentenced Bante to pay a fine of Sh200,000 for each of the three counts or serve three years in prison in default.

The prosecution was led by state counsels Benard Leadi and Patrick Mutinda.

The conviction comes amid renewed concern over the persistence of FGM in parts of northern Kenya despite years of government crackdowns, public awareness campaigns and community-led initiatives aimed at ending the practice.

Counties such as Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and parts of Isiolo continue to record high prevalence rates due to deep-rooted cultural beliefs, cross-border practices and resistance from some communities.

According to anti-FGM activists, the practice often increases during school holidays when girls are taken across borders or to remote villages to avoid detection by authorities.

The Kenyan government outlawed FGM through the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2011 and has since intensified enforcement through arrests, rescue operations and community sensitisation programmes.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta had pledged to end FGM in Kenya by 2022, while the Anti-FGM Board and human rights organisations continue to push for stronger enforcement and education campaigns.

However, campaigners say poverty, cultural pressure and fear of social exclusion continue to fuel the practice in some pastoralist communities.

Children’s rights groups have welcomed recent prosecutions, saying convictions send a strong warning to perpetrators and reinforce efforts to protect girls from harmful cultural practices.

The ODPP said the conviction underscores the government’s commitment to enforcing laws against FGM and safeguarding the rights and dignity of children.