By Max Patrick Ocaido
President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday officiated at the International Women’s Day celebrations in Mbale with a call for economic systematic emancipation of women.
Speaking at the function held at Malukhu Grounds in Mbale Municipality, Museveni said the NRM government has through its deliberate policies dealt with historical marginalization of women in Uganda. He added that the only problem that is now left is how to solve the economic dependence among women.
"Our biggest problem now is economic dependence. Women should be independent through the four sectors of commercial agriculture, industries, services and ICT. Once we empower women economically then there will even be love in families," the President said.
He tasked the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to closely monitor government projects meant to empower women such as the Women Fund, Operation Wealth Creation, Youth Fund and others, adding that government will inject more money in such projects.
"So as we celebrate 25 years we should be able to audit what has been achieved but also focus on economic empowerment of women which does not necessarily have to depend on land," Museveni said.
The President meanwhile warned men against wife battering saying that, "Men who beat women are cowards." "We need to sensitize men that beating a woman is cowardly. Why beat a woman who is already weak? I have been with Hon Janet [Museveni] for over 40 years but I have never even pushed her," he said.