Museveni to men: Stop beating women

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

President Yoweri Museveni has said it is cowardly for men to beat wives, adding there are better ways through which disputes can be resolved.

Museveni was speaking during celebrations to mark the International Women's Day in Mbale on Sunday when he said it ‘very wrong' to beat anyone.

"We should explain that beating women is cowardly. Why should you fight a woman who is weaker than you? If you want to fight look for fellow men," Museveni said.

He used himself as an example to illustrate the fact that for more than 40 years, he had never "even pushed" Janet Museveni.

"It is bad to believe in beating a woman. I believe in talking. You can beat her with the tongue," the President said.

The day was celebrated under the theme, Celebrating 25 years of the 1995 Constitution: Milestones on promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in Uganda.

Museveni said the law was already in place to handle the culprits, including the rapists and defilers.

"The problem is not the law. The law is already in place, but you (women) don't report and you don't bring enough evidence," he said.

"Some Police officers still take beating to be a domestic matter. The women should be sensitised that if the police do not take up your cases, take them to your political leaders. We shall act against the Police."

Going forward, the President said women should be empowered financially so that the dependence syndrome is broken.

"It is not easy for a man to beat an economically empowered woman. That beating is tied to economic dependence," he said.