Embattled Bugangaizi East MP, Onesmus who recently made a controversial statement encouraging men to beat up their wives as a way of “streamlining” them has apologized to all the women.
The legislator says he never intended to condone domestic violence and had retraced his statement.
Last week, Twinamatsiko was quoted in a TV interview saying, “as a man, you need to discipline your wife, you need to touch her a bit; tackle her and beat her somehow, to streamline her.”
He was commenting on the statement by President Yoweri Museveni during the commemoration of Women’s Day where he condemned men who batter their women and labeled them as cowards.
In the interview, the MP said that God bestowed authority on men to prevail over their women and that failure to beat a woman leads her to misbehave.
The comments made by the legislator sparked outrage from his fellow legislators, women’s rights campaigners and a section of the public demanding that he apologizes.
On Wednesday, he subdued to the pressure and issued an apology.
“Kindly accept my most sincere and unreserved apologies Honorable Members and the General Public and more particularly, the women. This apology is unconditional,” the MP said in the statement.
He said he never meant to condone violence against women and that he celebrated women whom he adds “are the pillars of our society and the custodians of our national cohesion and togetherness”.
“I am totally against gender based violence, especially against women, and this is to tell the world and my colleagues that any form of violence against women should be strongly resisted,” Twinamatsiko said.
He also adds that; “I take this opportunity to withdraw altogether the unfortunate statement… and I earnestly pray that you and all members of the public, accept my sincere apology”.
The apology comes a day after female legislators under the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) demanded for his apology and condemned the “unfortunate statements”.
The Domestic Violence Act, 2010 and other laws in Uganda prohibit wife beating and all other forms of violence against all family members including husbands.
