Five-day-old baby mutilated, dies at hospital

Moshi. An infant aged five days has died after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM), police in Kilimanjaro Region have confirmed.

Kilimanjaro regional police commander Wilbroad Mutafungwa said on Saturday that the incident occurred at Naibera Village in Simanjiro District, Manyara Region.

“Preliminary police investigations show that the baby was born on December 25, 2016 and on December 30, 2016, around 10am, her grandmother mutilated her, causing her death,” he said.

Giving details about the incident, the RPC said that after the genital mutilation process, the condition of the baby became degenerated due to bleeding, and on January 11, she was rushed to the KCMC Referral Hospital by her mother identified as Fatina Joshua, 14.

Mr Mutafungwa said, the baby was admitted to hospital and when doctors examined her condition, they found that her private parts had been badly damaged. She died on January 13.

According to him, after the police were informed about the incident, arrested the baby’s grandmother Longida Naingola who performed the FGM and the baby’s mother for further investigations.

Meanwhile, Mr Mutafungwa said, police in Kilimanjaro and their counterparts in Manyara Region where the incident occurred have launched a special operation aimed at ending the FGM practice.