(MUSOMA, TANZANIA) – Investigation Suggests Secret Trade in Female Genital Cutting Remains in Mara Region
An investigation by Mwananchi newspaper has found evidence suggesting that parts of women’s reproductive organs obtained through female genital cutting are being secretly sold in the Mara Region of north western Tanzania. The investigation carried out in December 2025 in the districts of Butiama, Musoma, Tarime and Serengeti found that the illicit trade is taking place despite strict national laws banning both the practise and the sale of human body parts.
Mwananchi reporters followed legal procedures during their inquiry and explained that they could have bought such parts if they so wished. The transaction was aborted only after confirming that the illicit trade was active, underscoring the existence of an underground market for human remains.
The investigation recorded that body parts from a single victim of female genital cutting were being offered for sale at around Sh1 million, equivalent to about US $7.30 at current exchange rates. Such prices, negotiable between buyers and sellers, make the trade one of the most lucrative illegal activities in the area.
Local traditional leaders and ritual specialists are alleged to be distributing and selling the body parts to owners of fishing boats. It is claimed that some boat owners believe using these parts during fishing activities will attract larger catches and protect them from misfortune and danger while at sea.
Despite legal prohibitions against female genital cutting and the sale of human body parts in Tanzania, enforcement remains weak and such practices continue under cover of secrecy. Among the laws in force are Section 118 of the Law of the Child Act of 2019, and sections 21, 22 and 169A of the Penal Code of 2022. These provisions clearly ban the abuse of children for any purpose, including the illicit trade in body parts, criminalise female genital cutting and prescribe penalties for those who fail to act to prevent it.
Girls subjected to female genital cutting face serious health risks, emotional trauma and psychological harm as a result of the practise. The investigation in Mara sought to establish the existence of the trade and to document how it is conducted, but both ethical and legal concerns led reporters to refrain from completing a purchase.
To approach sources involved in the alleged trade, Mwananchi travelled to Musoma District on December 22, 2025. Given the clandestine nature of the activity, the newspaper sought the assistance of a confidential source from within the local fishing community. Initially sceptical, the source did not dismiss the claims outright but warned that investigating such matters would be difficult, dangerous and require patience, restraint and time to build trust with those believed to be involved.
The source advised that the investigator pose as a prospective investor intending to operate fishing boats and establish a fish processing plant in the area in order to gain access to the implicated network. After discussing the strategy, the parties separated, intending to meet again.
Later in the evening, the source arranged for an introduction to an agent who could facilitate contact with a reliable distributor of the body parts. A meeting was set for the following morning. According to the investigator, the meeting took place and the intermediary claimed he could connect them with either the owner of a fishing boat or the fishermen directly involved in the trade.
However, both the intermediary and the potential sellers expressed extreme caution, citing the highly secretive nature of the network and their reluctance to deal with unknown individuals. The intermediary suggested travelling to Kinesi, on the outskirts of Musoma District, where such parts were said to be more readily available because some boat owners and fishermen in other areas had grown wary.
Attempts to reach a fisherman at Kinesi were initially unsuccessful. When contact was finally made, they met discreetly at a social venue to discuss the matter. During that meeting, they said that December was the peak season for acquiring such body parts due to the volume of female genital cutting cases.
The fisherman requested Sh1 million for a part, again about US $7.30. The investigator negotiated and asked for a reduced price of Sh700,000 and offered to pay Sh250,000 upfront, with the remainder to be settled on delivery. The men said such parts are sometimes used by fishermen during their normal activities and also mixed with water when cleaning boats, based on a local belief that it increases fish catches.
After the agreement, the intermediary and the fisherman left, promising to deliver the body parts later that evening. A call came at about 2.00 am directing the investigator to meet them for the transfer. The planned purchase was ultimately suspended, with the investigator citing challenges in arranging the remaining payment through a bank transfer from Dar es Salaam.
Mwananchi’s reporter concluded that the primary goal of confirming the existence of the illicit trade had been achieved and that completing the transaction would serve no journalistic or ethical purpose.
Commenting on the findings, Fulgence Massawe, Director of Advocacy and Reform at the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), pointed out that Tanzania’s 2008 Anti Trafficking in Persons Act explicitly prohibits the trade and transport of people and their body parts. He said that if such activities are occurring, they constitute serious criminal offences. Mr Massawe noted that past cases involving persons with albinism have demonstrated the application of anti trafficking laws to illegal trade in body parts.
He said that the Penal Code and the Sexual Offences Act include provisions that criminalise female genital cutting and impose strict penalties on perpetrators. He also said that the Law of the Child provides enhanced protection for children against harmful cultural practices, including female genital cutting.
Despite these legal safeguards, Tanzania remains among the countries where the practise continues, largely because of weak enforcement, competing policy priorities and the secretive nature of the activity, which makes detection and prosecution difficult.
At the regional level, Massawe said the East African Legislative Assembly has made efforts to pass stronger laws aimed at eradicating female genital cutting altogether. However, enforcement remains a major challenge, particularly when political leaders fear addressing deeply rooted cultural issues. He said that traditional leaders sometimes wield influence that exceeds that of government authorities, and their decisions on local matters are often carried out covertly, even when unlawful.
Massawe added that while some incidents are reported, female genital cutting persists secretly, even in urban centres such as Dar es Salaam and along the coast.
Charles Ezekiel, head of the Gender Desk in Mara Region, denied the existence of a trade in body parts from female genital cutting. He said local authorities have no records of such sales but that police and other partners will investigate the claims to establish the truth. He acknowledged that female genital cutting does occur among some Kurya communities in the region and suggested cultural beliefs are a factor.
Sebastian Kitiku, Director of Child Development at the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, said the ministry has no evidence of any trade involving human body parts from female genital cutting. He said such activities, if proven, would be illegal and unauthorised, and that they occur in secrecy because they are against the law.
Mr Kitiku said beliefs surrounding female genital cutting differ among ethnic groups and can influence how body parts are perceived. He noted that in some pastoral communities, there is a belief that using certain body parts can benefit livestock. He said similar beliefs may be held among fishing communities in Mara Region.
He added that some customs related to female genital cutting may seem surprising or unfounded to outsiders, but they are very real within certain communities.
