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Kadaga directs Obote Committee to Investigate Twinamasiko over wife beating comments
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Speaker of Uganda’s parliament Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has directed the Rules, Privileges and Discipline Committee to investigate the conduct of Onesimus Twinamasiko, the Bugangaizi East County MP over his comments on domestic violence.
A video clip shared by NTV Uganda, showed Onesmus Twinamasiko, a legislator from the western Uganda district of Kibaale saying women need to be beaten by their husbands in order to “streamline them.”
“As a man, you need to discipline your wife…touch her a bit, tackle her and beat her to streamline her,’‘ Twinamasiko told NTV.
Later interviewed by BBC Focus on Africa, Twinamasiko attempted to clarify his comments, saying, “I don’t mean beatings which cause injuries or death – but a slap – I would feel fine! Because it’s calling me to order. We would sit down and sort it out.
Twinamasiko add that “I was slapped once by my wife and it was ok with me, because we sorted out our differences. I also slapped her once. She had wronged me.”
According to Chris Obore, the director of communications and public affairs at parliament, Kadaga has said that the committee chaired by by Kalaki County MP Clement Ongalo-Obote will inquire into the video clip circulating and quoting MP Twinamasiko as having said “as a man it’s good touch and beat a woman.”
Kadaga who is currently in New York attending the 62nd UN session on the Status of Women, said the committee will give a report to the House regarding this unprovoked attack on women and endorsement of domestic violence.
Twinamasiko, 30 was reportedly responding to condemnation of domestic violence by President Yoweri Museveni during the International Women’s Day celebrations in Mityana district last week.
The president told the nation that men who beat women are cowards and should face the full wrath of the law.
“As a man, you need to discipline your wife…touch her a bit, tackle her and beat her to streamline her”- Onesmus Twinamasiko, MP, Bugangaizi East following comments by Museveni that men who beat women are cowards and should face the full wrath of the law pic.twitter.com/yhoEVRk212
— Patu™ (@AyamPatra) March 11, 2018
Museveni said as an example, he has been in marriage with his wife (Janet Kataha Museveni) for fifty years but he has never beaten or pushed her.
However, Twinamasiko a journalist turned MP said the social and family breakdown today is all because men have stopped “disciplining” their wives.
When we asked him if he beats his own wife, the MP responded, “My dear…when necessary. You see this is being open. It is actually worse if you are angered over your wife, and then you keep it as a secret. When that anger reaches some level, that’s when you see people planning to kill their wives.”
Ugandans especially women activists have responded furiously to Twinamasiko’s comments and a Twitter hashtag #OnesmusTwinamasikoMustResign calling for his resignation was started.
Twinamasko resigned from Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), the state broadcaster where he was a presenter and news reporter, to join elective politics.
He stood on an independent ticket after losing in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries for the official flag bearer.
He is however, one of the 317 from mainly NRM that voted for the scrapping off-of the presidential age limit from the constitution to allow persons below 35 and above 75 years to run for president
