FGM promoters in Sebei targeting mothers in labour

Barely two weeks after giving birth to her third child at a private health facility in Kapchorwa town council, Majorie Chalangat is living a nightmare. Anger, trauma and frustration are etched on her face and the deep lines of agony tell a story of suffering.

A medical examination by a police physician confirmed the severity of her condition: she has a septic wound in her groin. The 32-year-old mother, unable to sit comfortably, has endured weeks without rest or sound sleep. Chalangat is a victim of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The mutilation occurred during her delivery at a private health facility in Kapchorwa, adding another layer of horror to an already difficult experience. The facility’s name has not been disclosed due to an ongoing investigation, with authorities urging caution to avoid jeopardising efforts to apprehend the culprits. This incident highlights that the battle against FGM is far from over. In this community, many victims are unwilling to share their painful experiences, as the harmful practice remains deeply entrenched.

Events leading to the mutilation

Chalangat had sought antenatal care at Kapchorwa Hospital throughout her pregnancies and had planned to give birth there. However, when labour pains struck in the evening, her husband had not yet returned home from work, and her in-laws attended to her.

Chalangat recalls that her sister-in-law made a phone call to her husband, but something seemed off.

“The conversation was frantic, and I noticed her body language indicating something sinister, although I didn’t understand it at the time,” she says.

Her sister-in-law’s tone became harsh before the conversation ended.

When the special hire vehicle arrived to take her to the hospital, Chalangat insisted on going to Kapchorwa Hospital. However, her pleas were ignored and she was taken to a private health facility instead.

As soon as she entered the lounge, she felt a strong contraction. With the help of the staff and in-laws, she was quickly ushered into a labour room.

“I was mutilated moments before the baby reached the birth canal,” Chalangat recounts, her voice choked with emotion.

Recalling the day of the mutilation, she says as her contractions increased, she was quickly placed on a delivery bed. Despite the pain, she noticed three women dressed as midwives hovering around her, feigning kindness as they wiped the sweat from her face. Little did she know, they had sinister motives.

As the baby neared the birth canal, two other women prepared for the mutilation. When the surgeon was ready, she signalled the others to pin Chalangat down.

“Hold her firmly, and make sure any violent jerks are suppressed, or the knife might stray and harm the baby,” Chalangat overheard the surgeon instruct.

The pain that followed was excruciating — like a chainsaw cutting through her genital area.

“It was sudden, intense pain, comparable to thousands of needles piercing my body. I screamed helplessly before I passed out.”

Chalangat nearly died from excessive bleeding and had to undergo several blood transfusions.

Her suffering continues as the wound has become septic, worsening each day.

What led to this?

Chalangat’s relationship with her inlaws has never been easy.

“They are staunch believers in this evil custom. No conversation ever ended without ridicule because I refused to comply with it.”

Despite growing up in a community with rigid cultural values, Chalangat’s parents were against FGM.

“They took us to boarding school outside the Sebei sub-region. During circumcision season, we would stay with our aunts in Kampala,” she recalls.

Though she had vowed never to marry a Sabiny man, her husband promised to protect her from the custom.

“But in the end, I was mutilated. I’m angry, my life is shattered and I feel traumatised and frustrated,” she says, tears welling in her eyes.

A change of tactics

Promoters of FGM have changed their tactics, now targeting mothers in labour, Sebei sub-regions deputy regional Police commander, Moses Sule Ochieng, says.

“In the past, victims were taken to remote shrines for mutilation. But now, these practices have shifted to private health facilities run by accomplices,” he adds.

FGM scouts confirm that since last year’s circumcision season, promoters have targeted mothers in labour across the Sebei sub-region, including Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo.

“Chalangat is outspoken, but many other mothers quietly endure the pain of mutilation,” Joel Mwanga, a community volunteer activist against FGM, says.

Volunteer activists and scouts

Volunteer activists or scouts, are community members who oppose FGM, but cannot speak out openly due to fear of reprisals. They play a crucial role in alerting authorities about impending FGM rituals, thus enabling timely intervention.

However, they remain invisible to avoid being targeted by those who promote the practice.

Police investigations have included the private health facility’s proprietors, as well as Chalangat’s husband and in-laws, on the suspect list.

“The culprits behind this gruesome act have gone into hiding, but we’ve gathered crucial information that will lead to their arrest and prosecution,” Ochieng says.

Thomas Kipkony, 63, an elder from Kaserem in Kapchorwa, who now condemns FGM, says women who are not pregnant are also targeted.

“The perpetrators often sneak into their homes at night without their knowledge.”

These radical actions are carried out with the approval of the victim’s husband and in-laws.

During circumcision season, young girls and adolescent women who escaped mutilation in the past are also vulnerable.

Way forward

The evolution of FGM, Ochieng says, has necessitated a change in strategy.

“We need more than just legislation to combat this practice,” he says.

“A multidimensional approach is required, including expanding the network of surveillance to alert authorities about illegal actions. Widening this structure will provide more information and help us apprehend the culprits before further harm is done.”

Dangers of FGM

The practice of FGM continues to haunt many women and girls, leaving lasting physical, emotional and psychological scars.

Dr Barnabus Rubanza, a police surgeon serving the Elgon, Bukedi and Teso sub-regions, has treated many cases of FGM, often when victims’ wounds have become septic.

“Victims are usually brought to me when their incision wounds become infected due to crude treatment methods,” Rubanza says. “Herbs and concoctions used for treatment offer little healing, causing the wounds to fester and result in immense pain.”

Without proper medical care, these wounds can lead to deadly infections and, in some cases, death.

“Victims who survive the immediate discomfort face longterm challenges. The scars from the incision often grow thick, disrupting sex life and complicating childbirth in numerous ways,” Rubanza says.

A call for change

For victims like Chalangat, the road to recovery is long and painful, but there is hope. Through sustained efforts, the battle against FGM can be won.

It is crucial for the community, law enforcement, and the Government to unite in protecting and empowering women like Chalangat. The scars they bear — both visible and invisible — demand our attention and action.

The Sabiny community performs male circumcision annually, while female genital mutilation occurs every even numbered year.

Henry Cheruyot, 73, a reformed elder and advocate for ending the practice, says one primary goal of FGM is to control women and prevent behaviours deemed undesirable.

“Promoters of FGM argue that mutilated women lose their sex drive and are less likely to cheat on their husbands,” Cheruyot says.

Sabiny girls have their say

A number of women who have escaped the harmful practice live in constant fear, particularly during circumcision season.

Lilian Chepmoi, 27, who holds a bachelor’s degree in social works and social administration from Makerere University, says education has helped them avoid the ritual.

“Many of us have decided never to marry Sabiny men, but because Sebei is home, we are often vulnerable when visiting relatives,” she says. “It has happened before, which is why we live in constant fear.” Ann Mary Chekwech, 29, a graduate in accounting, shares similar fears.

“Promoters of FGM have repeatedly vowed to teach us a lesson whenever they can,” she says.

The struggle against FGM continues, but these voices stand as a reminder of the courage needed to confront this harmful practice.

FGM ritual

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is deeply rooted in the Sabiny community. Maliza Cheruyot, 74, a victim of FGM, says the ritual is intended to initiate girls aged 14 and above into womanhood.

“A girl is considered ready for marriage after the rite,” Cheruyot says. Reflecting on her own experience, Cheruyot recalls being woken up at dawn in Sukut village, Benet sub-county, Kween district, to undergo the ritual. Her mother smeared her face with ash before leading her to a group of 19 other girls awaiting mutilation. The ritual took place in a remote shrine, with surgeons waiting to begin.

Before the mutilation, the lead surgeon, allegedly spirit-possessed, briefed the girls.

“Emotions bordering on fear and cowardice are abominable and attract a demeaning penalty,” the surgeon warned. In her time, Cheruyot says, cowardice was a disgrace to the family and attracted punishment.

When her turn came, Cheruyot describes the experience as “horrendous” — a sharp knife was plunged into her genital area, causing eternal pain.

“It lasted about 20 seconds, but the pain felt like an eternity,” she recalls. It took five months of sleepless nights for the extensive wound to heal and, at one point, it became septic. The constant throbbing pain remains a painful memory.

Cheruyot adds that evading the ritual results in harsh societal backlash, including being labelled as “marauding dogs on heat”, “prostitutes” or “outcasts.”

“Society is not only hostile, but actively works to frustrate your efforts to live a decent life, such as blocking job opportunities despite your qualifications,” she says.