Uganda's rural women thrill Africa

They came on stage Oct 18 with their waists enhanced by wraps and spinning like Bodaboda tires in motion. Activity practically ground to a halt as the y danced Nankasa and show cased the gomasi to participants of the Kilimanjaro Initiative.

"Sesetula sesetula ekimonde! Nze amanzina nsetula masetula!" boomed the giant speakers to assault every ear.

Whispers were audible among Arusha lonely hearts knowing where to go when searching for a spouse especially a romantic rural woman. It is no longer a secret that Uganda women dress their waists with beads like their Masaai counterparts. 

The Masaai showed up with huge collections of necklaces, their coastal counter parts danced gracefully to Tarab music as the West African displayed hear gear touching the ceilings.

 

 

"I hear the Uganda woman is very submissive," whispered Lo Okiteng 40, a Maasai woman from Kenya.  "That when they take your man for one night, never expect him back, as it were amongst the tribe. They sweet talk them in sing song tones and call them Kabaka (King.)"

In the Kilimanjaro Initiative, Uganda was represented by Pauline Apio from Usuk and Irene Chepsoke from Kapchorwa who scaled Africa's tallest mountain for six days. They were joined by 2500 moral boosters comprising of; activists, journalists and bikers from across the country.

To cut the long story short, the event was addressing bigger issues. The participants came from any corner of the continent. There theme this October was a sustainable development agenda for them to access land and own it.

One thing every participant left, determined to do, is own more land which they till by 2030. Archaic customs that deny them inheritance and ownership rights are destined for the bin. OAU, OXFAM and ActionAid have linked hands with individual governments on the continent to change the status quo.