Rights activists demand Kibuule’s resignation
Women activists hold placards denouncing Mr Kibuule and condemning rape in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
Women rights activists say the minister should apologise to Ugandans over what they called “irresponsible remarks”.
Kampala
Women rights activists and the youth yesterday joined a growing chorus of Ugandans calling for the resignation of the Youth Affairs minister, Mr Ronald Kibuule, over his recent remarks that women who dress indecently and are raped should be charged.
The Uganda Women’s Network, (UWONET), a consortium of women activists and youth groups said the minister should take personal responsibility and resign as well as apologise to Ugandans over what they called “irresponsible remarks”.
Addressing journalists in Kampala yesterday, the activists said they would petition Parliament and President Museveni to sack Mr Kibuule. “The minister is a disgrace to the youth of this country and he misrepresents government and laws of this country. He must take personal responsibility by resigning and apologising to the women, particularly the youth. He needs a sense of reflection and he should not make us believe he is a potential rapist,” said Ms Rita Aciro, the UWONET executive director.
Ms Tina Musuya, the Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP) executive director, said the minister must be called to order since he swore to uphold the Constitution. “Uganda ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women which requires countries to refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women, including rape. We were, however, shocked and concerned by the minister’s utterances and he must resign,” said Ms Musuya.
Mr Julius Mukunda, an official of the Forum for Women in Democracy, questioned the impunity of leaders in the country and demanded an apology from the minister. Ms Brenda Kugonza, CEDOVIP’s deputy executive director, said they would petition Parliament this week to ensure that action is taken against the minister.
The youth led by Ms Alice Kobusingye, the head of Makerere University students guild ministry of women, accused the minister of inciting men to rape women.
While addressing youth in Ntungamo District, Mr Kibuule is quoted to have said the police should scrutinise all rape case to ascertain how the victims were dressed, adding that if found to have been indecent, they should instead be charged for “inviting rape”.
The minister yesterday said he does not condone rape. He said indecent dressing exposes women to rapists. “The issue was, however, blown out of context,” he said, vowing not to resign.
