Matembe slams women for failing their own cause

Maria Matembe speaks at the beginning of the gender week at Makerere University. Photo by Ronnie Kijjambu

Donned in white T-shirts and makeshift caps fashioned from manila papers, emblazoned with words promoting empowerment of the female folk, groups of students filed into a hall on the last level of a building that houses the school of gender and women studies at Makerere University.

In the hall that doubles as a lecture theatre, music blared from a public address system, with students chanting the pro-women empowerment slogans. It looked like a small political rally.

The students were waiting for their lecturers and a keynote speaker, Miria Matembe, a former ethics and integrity minister, to the launch of the gender identity week ahead of International Women's Day celebrations on Wednesday.

Matembe's arrival was greeted with excitement from students, but in her keynote address, she slammed the women and girls for undermining their own cause. Matembe said she wished the excitement her arrival triggered among students could be translated into real action.   

Matembe (L) chats with SIDA project coordinator, Consolata Kabonesha (R) during the launch of the gender week at Makerere University. Looking on is Dr. Evelyn Lutwama Rukundo. Photo by Ronnie Kijjambu

With three law degrees under her belt and having served in various high profile positions in government and in the private sector, Matembe said, for her, the only job she is looking forward to now is being president. But she said she can only get to the presidency only if 'women are 'sensible'.

"If you young people and mothers were sensible, I would be the first (woman) to get to that position (president). You are not (sensible)," she added, "You (women) are the first to be bought and used. I see women going around singing no change and have reduced their value to that of pancakes". ​