Women have abused leadership positions like men—Busoga Bishop

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The Government has made great efforts in empowering women, including placing them in key positions at various ministries, departments and agencies.

However, some of these women have abused their offices, according to the Busoga bishop, the Rt. Rev. Prof. Grace Lubaale, by engaging in corruption and mistreating their counterparts.

Lubaale made the remarks during the diocese's International Women’s Day celebrations at Jinja city-based Christ’s Cathedral Bugembe, which is the main seat of the diocese located at Bugembe in the northern division of Jinja city on Sunday.

Without naming any, Lubaale said some women had been involved in corruption scandals like men, but said this shouldn’t be the basis of frustrating their appointment and electing them in key positions.

According to Lubaale, abuse of office is simply a disease in Uganda, saying it must be dealt with in the right procedures by following the law without segregation.

“The law should not be selective while dealing with the corrupt if we are to eliminate this disease lest it will remain a song in Uganda,” he said.

Better leaders

The bishop's comments came on the same day when President Yoweri Museveni said Ugandan women have proved to be better leaders and managers than men since the start of the gender empowerment programmes under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.

The President said when the NRM came to power in 1986, it introduced women empowerment programmes such as affirmative action seats at various levels and the extra 1.5 points that are given to girls when joining university. This was during the International Women’s Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds.

Museveni, whose speech was delivered by Vice-President Jessica Alupo, said gender equity was at the core of the NRM even during the bush war era.

Dropout cases have reduced

Masindi-Kitara Diocese dean, the Very Rev. Can. Lydia Kwesiga, who was the guest preacher, commended the Government for uplifting the girl child, saying that before, many girls in Bunyoro region used to get married after their Primary Seven.

She said Bunyoro first got a female clergy graduating in 1973, and the second was after 10 years in 1983, followed by her in 2004.

Kwesiga said she was the first female chaplain and was deployed in a hospital where some underrated her ability, only for her to complete a chapel in one year, which was at the foundation level at the time of her deployment.

Preaching under the theme: Anchored in Christ for Unity, Stability and Peace, Kwesiga urged women to keep their faith in prayers by remaining on their knees during storms.

“Some women keep lamenting, but when anchored in Christ even during storms, we must remain strong,” she urged.



Meanwhile, Harriet Ikoona, the outgoing chairperson of the Christian women at the cathedral, commended the clergy led by the Dean, the Very Rev. Can. Dr Joy Mukisa Isabirye and the Vicar, Can. Mathias Katiko, for promoting the commemoration of Women’s Day in their church.

“We used to be negative, but Katiko remained pushing us until it gained momentum, where he hosted guest preachers and speakers who have continued motivating us economically and socially,” she said.

During the event, the bishop commissioned and handed over a Subaru Forester vehicle worth shillings 60 million to Katiko to ease his ministry and serve the community of Bugembe and beyond.

Henry Ntende, who led the fundraising committee, said Katiko’s initial vehicle, which was donated to him by bishop emeritus Paul Samson Naimanhye seven years ago, had been grounded, rendering him dependent on lifts while doing pastoral work.

Ntende said they still had a pending debt of sh6m to clear for the car.