'Hon' Twinamasiko MP, A True 'Champion' Of Battered Ugandan Women!

Last week, March 8^th, was International Women's Day (IWD). IWD for those not in the know, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

M7 Launching The National Policy On Elimination Of Gender Based Violence In Uganda in 2006 

IWD celebrations in Uganda, took place in Mityana and were presided over by The Man With The Hat who called for economic independence for women. He said: “If we empower women as well as the graduates, we shall have implemented two programmes: One, enhanced imports substitution, and two, enhanced exports promotion.”

More importantly, he drove a point home with: “An educated and economically empowered mind, will unlock a woman from an abusive spouse.” Then came the message that all women wanted to hear - “A man who batters a woman is foolish and a coward and that some women do not report cases of abuse by their husbands for fear of being driven out to a life of hopelessness and economic desperation.”

A Woman Being Punched

There should have been no need for me to expound on - “A man who batters Wifey is foolish and a coward”, for it was a laid bare and clear-cut statement that even the people from Bugangaizi East should have grasped.

But alas, I have to expound because of a chap from Bugangaizi East, Onesmus Twinamasiko. But wait up – and where have my manners gone? Let me re-phrase the and introduce him properly and with all the due respect seeing that he is a Member of Parliament. Enter the MP from Bugangaizi East, Honourable Onesmus Twinamasiko. Mbu honourable – hmm! 

MP Onesmus Twinamasiko Wants Women To Be Goofed Because They Need To Be "Streamlined"  

I had never heard of MP Twinamasiko, nor had I heard of a place called Bugangaizi East - wherever that is. I could have done some Googling but to be honest, I could be bothered. Anyway, we presume that the reason Twinamasiko is a Member of Parliament, is because he went to school, is level headed and Constituent saw him as the best the person to represent their needs. But is he? Does he have the interests of women at heart? Would he go out of his way to defend their rights?

The Sad Face Of A Battered And Bruised Woman Which, Bugangaizi East MP, Onesmus Twinamasiko Has No Problems With 

I doubt because barely four days after The Man With The Hat lashed out that “a man who batters a woman is foolish and a coward”, Twinamasiko and on the steps of Parliament gave an interview to NTV. In the interview and with more than just an air of arrogance, a bold conviction and straight face, said: “As a man, you need to discipline your wife.” He didn’t stop there. Switching to a smug look he added: “You need to touch her a bit, you tackle her, beat her somehow to streamline her.”

The Diva Rihanna Was Battered By Boyfriend Chris Brown 

That you have to tackle her, beat her somehow to streamline her - OMG! What exactly did he mean when he said: “tackle her” and “beat her somehow”? Did he mean that during an argument and when Wifey feels threated that she decides to run away, men should chase after her, tackle her, then goof the lights out of her?

What Twinamasiko doesn’t know is tragically more than one in five women aged 15 – 49 have experienced domestic or sexual violence in Uganda according to a government report published last year.

While his statement is from the caveman days, there is more than a justified need to sympathise with the women who live in his household, for we can surmise from his interview that he ‘tackles and streamlines them with a beating’.

Not Good At All

Twinamasiko did proffer a feeble apology but, it took him a staggering three days to offer and not because he thought it was the right thing to do, but because of the heat he was getting from social media. Also - stepping down as a Member of Parliament was something he didn’t consider because resigning is not a Ugandan thing – even for a Member of Parliament who advocates that it’s okay for men to batter women.

 

Oddly enough, there has been no statement from the Ministry of Gender and Social Development. Ah, perhaps they are ‘busy’ in a darkened building trying to figure out how the porn machine works than tackling more vital issues like Twinamasiko who gleefully wants to see women get battered!  

Pictures: NTV, TMZ, New Vision, Agencies