As the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, Kenya stands at a precarious crossroads between legislative success and cultural stagnation. Despite a robust legal framework and a drop in national prevalence to 15%, the "cut" persists in the shadows, evolving into a medicalized, cross-border crime that demands a radical shift in strategy.

The fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has moved from the public square to the private clinic. While the Prohibition of FGM Act of 2011 was a landmark victory, new data from the Anti-FGM Board reveals a disturbing trend: parents are increasingly colluding with rogue medical practitioners to cut girls under the guise of "minor surgery," or spiriting them across the porous border into Tanzania and Somalia to evade Kenyan law.

The Economics of the Cut

To truly end this violation, we must follow the money. FGM is not just a cultural rite; it is an economic engine for "cutters" and a prerequisite for dowry in many communities. "We cannot legislate culture away without addressing the economic void left behind," argues a policy analyst from the Gender Ministry. The call to "invest" is literal—funding alternative rites of passage (ARP) and economic empowerment programs for the women who once made a living from the blade.

• The Enforcement Gap: While arrests happen, convictions are rare. Community complicity means witnesses often recant, and evidence "disappears." The judiciary must prioritize these cases to send a chilling message of deterrence.
• Cross-Border Complicity: The "border run" is the new frontier. Kenya must harmonize its anti-FGM laws with its neighbors to close the loophole that allows perpetrators to step across a boundary line and claim immunity.
• The Medicalization Menace: The involvement of nurses and doctors is a betrayal of the Hippocratic Oath. The medical board must strip licenses from any practitioner found aiding this mutilation.

A Call for "Total War" on FGM

President William Ruto’s administration has reiterated the commitment made by his predecessor to end FGM by 2022—a deadline that has come and gone. The new target of 2030 is looming. To hit it, the government must move beyond rhetoric to "enforcement with teeth." This means holding local chiefs and administrators personally liable if FGM occurs in their jurisdiction.

Furthermore, the investment must trickle down to the grassroots activists who risk their lives daily. These women, often survivors themselves, are the intelligence network that can alert authorities before the blade falls. They are underfunded, unprotected, and exhausted.

We have the laws. We have the data. What we lack is the ruthless, sustained application of state power combined with the compassionate investment in community alternatives. Until we bridge that gap, the cut will continue.