Respect must endure despite income gaps, minister Mugasa tells couples
“If God has given you money, respect your husband even if you are richer than him. A man remains a man. Don’t make him feel he has to prove his worth,” said Mugasa.
Public service state minister Grace Mary Mugasa called on couples to embrace cooperation rather than rivalry in their relationships, warning that lack of mutual respect can lead to marital instability.
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Public service state minister Grace Mary Mugasa has cautioned women against allowing financial independence to undermine respect within marriage, saying such dynamics often fuel domestic conflict and family breakdown.
Speaking as the chief guest at the belated International Women’s Day celebrations for Bushenyi district on April 25, 2026, Mugasa said financial progress should not alter mutual respect between spouses.
The celebrations were held at Kakanju Playground in Igara West County under the theme: “Scaling Up Investment to Accelerate Access to Justice for All Women and Girls in Uganda.”
“If God has given you money, respect your husband even if you are richer than him. A man remains a man. Don’t make him feel he has to prove his worth,” she said.
Mugasa called on couples to embrace cooperation rather than rivalry in their relationships, warning that lack of mutual respect can lead to marital instability.
“When you get more money and start despising your husband, he will respond in kind. The same applies to men who become financially strong and begin undermining their wives. In the end, the marriage may not survive,” she said.
Sale of govt jobs condemned
The minister also condemned the alleged sale of government jobs, describing it as a major threat to public service delivery.
“There is no supermarket for government jobs. Recruitment should be based on merit so that we get competent workers,” Mugasa said.
She noted that some district officials, technical staff and political leaders were implicated in colluding to extort money from job seekers.
Call for balanced youth empowerment
Bushenyi District Woman MP Annet Katusiime Mugisha called for a balanced approach to youth empowerment, noting that while girls have benefited from several interventions, the boy child is increasingly being left behind.
“Bushenyi is well known for empowering women, but we now need to pay attention to the boy child as well so that no one is left out,” she said.
District leaders also raised concerns over inadequate funding for women’s council activities.
Bushenyi District Women’s Council chairperson Yudaya Nakanwagi Mwesigye and district chairperson Jafari Basajabalaba appealed for increased government support to facilitate annual celebrations.
Basajabalaba said the sh3m allocated for the event was insufficient.
“This is a once-a-year event, and women deserve full facilitation to express themselves,” he said.
Medical supplies, water project commissioned
During the celebrations, Mugasa handed over medical equipment worth sh59.1m to Kakanju Health Centre III.
She also commissioned a water distribution network under the sh11.8 billion National Water and Sewerage Corporation Warugo Water Project, aimed at improving access to clean and safe water across the district.
The infrastructure is expected to ease water scarcity in the sub-counties of Kakanju, Bitooma, Ruhumuro, Kyamuhunga and Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality.