A 9- year-old girl has been rescued by local administration from an arranged marriage to a 30-years -old suitor in Ilmarba village, Kajiado Central sub-county recently.
Ilmarba chief, Felix Maitei, acting on tip off over the ceremony to marry off the class three pupil stormed into the girl’s parent’s homestead in the middle of night accompanied by local children rights crusaders.
The girl is said to have been subjected to a forcible female gentle mutilation (FGM) in readiness to early marriage to a suitor identified by her parents.
The ceremony to hand over the minor to the middle aged man was underway by the time administrator ambushed them in the middle of a cold night. The suitor’s relatives are said to have taken six head of cattle and other requirement to the girl’s polygamous father. The sobbing girl was already dressed in traditional regalia and held in seclusion in wait.
“The ceremony was underway but I put my life on the line to rescue the girl. The parents were hostile but I managed to snatch the girl into the darkness. They tried to pursue us to no avail. It is so unfortunate the parents could have colluded to forcefully marry the girl despite her protests,” said Mr Maitei.
The girl, aspiring to be doctor, has been placed into a ‘’safe’’ house joining hundreds girls rescued from similar incidents in Kajiado county.
Reverend Haron Ororuma, children rights crusader who participated in rescue exercise, termed the incident barbaric castigating parents using their female children as cash cow.
“Our people are being driven by greed for easy gotten money. It is the high time they change that notion as the Maasai girl is a goose that lays golden eggs. Its uncouth and unacceptable,” said Ororuma.
Kajiado Central Deputy County commissioner Charles Wambugu said police officers are hunting for the culprits who have since gone into hiding. He said the government is on high alert to protect girl child in maasi land.
“We are pursuing the culprits who are at large. It’s the high time the Maasai community elite come back to the villages and enlighten their kinsmen on retrogressive cultures setbacks. The fight against FGM and early marriage must start with natives to succeed,” Said Wambugu.