Empower fellow women - Machel
Former South Africa First Lady Graca Machel (R) observes a woman’s braided hair as New Face, New Voices country director Theopista Ntale Sekitto (C) explains to her. This was during Ms Machel’s visit to the offices in Kyebando yesterday. PHOTO BY Stephen Wandera
What you need to know:
Independent. Ms Machel calls for financial independency of women, saying it gives them the power to make choices
Kampala.
Powerful women in Uganda should use their positions to empower and inspire other women, South African former First Lady Graca Machel has said.
Ms Machel, a widow of the late former South African President and global icon Nelson Madiba Mandela, was speaking after a tour of the offices of New Faces, New Voices Uganda chapter, a financial literacy programme in Kawempe, a Kampala suburb.
She is the founder and patron of the organisation which focuses on expanding the role and influence of women in the financial sector.
“I am happy that there are few women who are economically empowered, but these women should multiply into thousands,” Ms Machel said.
She urged women to struggle to become financially independent because this will imply that they will have the power to determine what they want to do.
“Financial independence gives women the power of choice, this is the beginning of putting in the hands of every woman the power to choose and live their lives in a way they want.”
The former First Lady said while she will be 70 years next year, she still has dreams and the reason she works hard is because there are people who still live in similar conditions like she did when she was still a village girl living in poverty.
Ms Machel, also former First Lady of Mozambique, described President Museveni as her brother.
“President Museveni is my brother, he and many leaders of this country shared with us the Frelimo [Mozambique Liberation Front] days, this country has a lot of Samoras.”
Frelimo is the movement led by Ms Machel’s ex-husband Samora Moisés Machel that fought for the independence of Mozambique.
Ms Karooro Okurut, the Minister for Gender, said since 1986 when the NRM government took power, women in Uganda have never looked back because they have been given power.
“Look at what Allen Kagina, Jennifer Musisi and the Speaker of Parliament Rebbecca Kadaga are doing, it shows that when you give a woman either power or money, it will be safe,” Ms Karooro said.
