Tanzania government claims it is “powerless” to stop FGM, as heads of clans and village leaders are paid to look the other way and refuse to cooperate with the government’s crackdown on the practice.
In the face of circumcision of thousands of girls last month, the government claims it is powerless to end the complex traditional practice that has led to untold pain and even death for the victims.
Cracking down on the perpetrators was made even more difficult by a conspiracy between heads of clans and village leaders, who are paid for looking the other way as the traditionalists round up girls for the cut.