A Ugandan lawmaker apologised Wednesday after encouraging men to beat their wives to “discipline” them, in comments that sparked an outcry in the country.
The MP, Onesmus Twinamasiko, wrote in a letter to parliament that he actually “detests all form of violence against women”.
“Kindly accept my most sincere and unreserved apologies honourable members and the general public and more particularly the women.”
The apology comes after Twinamasiko gave an interview the day after women’s day, March 8, to local television station NTV and said: “as a man you need to discipline your wife, you need to touch her and tackle her and beat her somehow, to really streamline her”.
His remarks sparked anger from women.
However his view is not uncommon in Uganda. A government report published in 2016 showed that one in five female Ugandans between the age of 14 and 49 had reported physical or sexual violence within a 12-month period.
Parliament speaker Rebecca Kadaga vowed to investigate Twinamasiko for encouraging violence against women and the women’s parliamentary association demanded that he withdraw the statement and apologise.
Meanwhile on Twitter the hashtag #OnesmusTwinamasikoMustResign trended in Uganda.
On women’s day, President Yoweri Museveni described men who batter their wives as “cowards”.
