''Don''t let male MPs lure you into sex''

By Paul Kiwuuwa and Henry Sekanjako   

Women MPs have been advised to take extra caution to avoid sexual tactics employed by their male counterparts to lure them into extra-marital sexual affairs.

This follows a study done by ISIS WICCE, a women advocacy NGO, carried out last year which revealed that some male MPs took pride in sleeping with more female MPs, which tainted the image and careers of the female legislators.

Dr. Peace Musimenta, a lecturer at School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University this week delivered a paper on “Women MPs achievements, challenges and success 2012- 2013”, during which she advised women MPs to turn down sexual advances by married male MPs.

She however declined to disclose the details of the ISIS WICCE study before it is officially published.

She said: “Some male MPs and ministers are considering themselves powerful depending on which woman MP they have slept with using money to lure them into sex.”

“I was shocked to hear that an undisclosed male MP alleged that some female MPs are too cheap to give in to sex in exchange for money,” said Musimenta.

“Being leaders, you become disgusting and shameful before the electorate if such allegations are proved that women MPs give in to sexual demands for money.”

The lecturer, who is a consultant on women issues, warned women MPs that the perceived sexual network with male MPs was affecting their images and work.

“Never trust these men to the extent of sleeping with them. They brag around and disclose that you are promiscuous persons,” she advised.

Meanwhile, issues of effective female leadership were brought to fore during a workshop for women MPs on Monday at the Lake View Hotel.

'Mere women MPs'

Forum for Women in Development (FOWODE) executive director, Patricia Munaabi, said the training was aimed at increasing knowledge and skills on effective leadership for women MPs.

“There is need to engage women leaders by equipping them with knowledge on social issues that affect them globally to avoid marginalization of women leaders.

The state minister for Karamoja Affairs, Barbra Nekesa decried the low value attached to women MPs in their respective districts.

She quipped: “Some people in our constituencies refer to us as mere women MPs. They think male MPs carry huge responsibilities than female MPs.”

Mitooma woman MP (NRM) Jovah Kamateeka said the electorate does not distinguish the roles of the MPs but still expect a lot from the women legistlators.

“They think she [a woman MP] is a mother to the whole district who is supposed to build roads, provide clean water, build health centers, pay their children school fees, medical care, wedding contributions, deaths and second funeral expenses.”

On her part, Buikwe Woman MP Christine Mpiima said women MPs are always kept in the corners of major activities going on countrywide, saying that “there is a lot of invisibility about women MPs compared to our male counterparts”.

Former ethics and integrity minister, Miria Matembe, said a few women politicians had got much influence in Uganda’s multiparty politics.

“Political parties are extremely reluctant to fill main party positions with female candidates. They forget that even women are interested in acquiring leadership skills,” Matembe, a vibrant women activist, said.