THE Bushenyi district vice-chairman, Benon Karyaija, has advised women to always keep contraceptive pills in their houses. “You need to have pills everytime so that when your drunk husband comes at night and wants to force you into sex, you swallow the tablet before sex takes place.”
He made the remarks on Tuesday at the opening of a five-day workshop on reproductive health organised by Reproductive Health Uganda at Katungu Mothers’ Union Centre in Bushenyi.
The vice-chairman admitted being a culprit of marital rape. “I have a child whom I nicknamed Mireego (meaning getting something forcefully) because he was produced without my wife’s consent.”
He pointed out that it was the rural poor, without means, who produce many children.
Karyaija also criticised men who waste most of their time in trading centres, drinking alcohol and eating pork.
“The majority of men have shunned work. They report to trading centres early in the morning to louse and this has hampered implementation of poverty eradication programmes.”
He warned that the men’s conduct was threatening their superiority. “In future, men might become the marginalised group because the women are grasping everything that comes up.”
Albert Mwebaze, the reproductive health manager, said it was the women’s responsibility to prevent unwanted pregnancies since men have little control on their sexual urge.
The workshop was attended by sub-county chiefs, LC3 chairpersons and community development workers from Bumbeire, Kakanju and Kyeizoba sub-counties.