A police patrol team was stoned by Kitarungu villagers in Nyansurura Ward, Serengeti District, on Monday night.

The incident occurred as the police were hunting for female genital mutilators (FGMs). The police in the district launched the operation to end the illegal practice. One police officer sustained leg injuries during the incident.

Mara Regional Police Commander Ramadhan Ng’hazi said some unidentified people threw stones at the police Land Cruiser.

He said the police had arrested Kitarungu Village chairman in their preliminary investigations. The police boss said this was the second time the villagers attempted to obstruct the police from entering their homes. He said FGM ceremonies had been practised in the village for decades.

For his part, Serengeti District Commissioner Nurdin Babu told The Citizen that he has instructed the authorities to arrest all circumcisers, who had been involved in the illegal practice. “Even if they run away, we’ll finally arrest them because when schools open we’ll continue with investigations to identify girls, who have undergone FGM and their parents will be responsible,” he said. He insisted that the district had been offering training on the side effects of FGM through such seminars as the ‘Tokomeza Ukeketaji Serengeti (end FGM in Serengeti) funded by the African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref) and UN Women.”

The DC, who is also the chairman of defence and security in the district, said FGM promoted early marriage in addition to school dropouts.

Amref Manager in Serengeti District Godfrey Matumu said nine female genital mutilators, two clan elders and several parents had been arrested for allegedly participating in facilitating FGM.

He added that in their initial research in 44 villages in Serengeti District, 5,621 girls between the ages of 8 and 16 were at risk of undergoing FGM.