The Social Democratic Front, SDF party’s chairman Honorable Joshua Osih has appealed for an inclusive approach that will provide a peaceful political transition in Cameroon.
He was speaking during the second National Executive Committee (Nec) meeting, held on February 17, at the party’s regional headquarter in Olezoa-Yaounde, since the party’s elective convention.
This is coming at the time when within the position of oppositions in Cameroon, there are calls for a coalition against the ruling party in the presidential election in 2025. This was on the agenda of proceeding in which the party chair told the media that the party was opened.
‘The SDF has been able to organize coalitions since 1990. We sincerely believe that where Cameroon stands today, we need to seriously work towards pushing an agenda and not running after a coalition so that one actor wins. we are for a winning Cameroon and not for a winning individual’ Joshua Osih told the press.
For the country to be in good shape, the SDF foresees a pol
itical transition through a broad based concertation, which is inclusive and meetup the aspirations of all cameroonians to rebuild from what the party considers a sociopolitical and economic breakdown, for a system that has reigned for long.
‘We are today at a turning point, and we’re looking forward to put proposal on the table that can be as inclusive as possible to bolster our country to a political transition. We’re not running to win the race, but trying to bring together, to make sure that the only outcome that can save this country-which is the political transition, is the agenda that will be taken’ he stressed.
The party’s finances was also under review as well as the work of adhoc committees created, all geared towards giving the SDF, the new momentum with the new leadership.
Six adhoc committees were created to give the desired steam and to redefine SDF policy.
Source: Cameroon News Agency
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kajiado County is still rampant, despite the practice being outlawed in Kenya in 2011.
According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, the prevalence of FGM in Kajiado County is at 63 per cent, with emerging trends such as medicalisation and cross-border practice of the vice contributing to the high numbers.
However, despite the high prevalence rate, no FGM cases have been reported and successfully prosecuted at the Kajado Law Courts since 2011.
Speaking at Enkorika, Kajiado Central, during a sensitisation forum on sexual and gender-based violence organised by the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) and Kajiado Court Users Committee, Roselyn Oganyo, Kajiado Chief Magistrate, revealed that there are currently zero active FGM cases at the Kajiado courts.
Oganyo noted that FGM is often carried out in secrecy; therefore, the culprits are never brought to court, and there are hardly any witnesses willing to testify, making it hard to prosecute the c
ases.
‘There is very low reporting of FGM cases, the practice is deeply rooted in culture and done in secrecy. The perpetrators are never brought to court, with witnesses often bailing out for fear of reprisals by the community, ‘she said.
Pamela Achieng’, Senior Principal Magistrate, reiterated Oganyo’s sentiments, adding that FGM survivors are often denied justice as the cases are never brought to court.
She urged the community to report the cases to the police and authorities so that they are brought to court and perpetrators prosecuted.
‘We encourage the community to take charge and report such cases so as to protect the girl child from this harmful practice. As a court, we do not see FGM cases in courts, but when you go to the rescue centres, you will find many girls who were mutilated and others who were rescued before being cut,’ she added.
The magistrate warned that FGM was illegal in Kenya and is a criminal offence under the prohibition of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2011, the Children’s A
ct, and the penal code.
‘Any person who conducts FGM or pays someone else to conduct the practice or provides his or her premises for it to be carried out, is guilty of an offence. Failure to report the act and possession of instruments used in FGM is also a crime,’ she noted.
Furthermore, a person convicted of these offenses can go to prison for between three and seven years, and be fined up to Sh500,000 Kenyan shillings.
Alex Labarakwe from the Witness Protection Agency said that the reason why these cases go unreported is because the people involved in this practice are either people from the government or parents of the victims, and because of intimidation and threats from them, members of the community choose not to take action.
According to Beatrice Oluoch, AMREF Health Africa, there is need to strengthen the reporting systems and the Witness Protection Agency so as to encourage the community to report FGM cases without fear of victimisation.
Oluoch said FGM is deeply rooted in culture, and witness
es fear reporting the cases to avoid being ostracised by the community.
‘FGM is deeply rooted in culture, so there is a need to strengthen the witness protection agency to ensure that witnesses can report FGM cases without fear of victimisation by the community.’ She said.
Oluoch further called for the adoption of the Alternative Rite of Passage (ARP), which retains cultural rituals and ceremonies in the transition to womanhood while replacing the harmful ‘cut’ by sexual and reproductive health rights education and the promotion of girls’ education.
Source: Kenya News Agency
