There are many local songs these days, one of our local languages, one categorically states that ‘wearing a trouser does not make you a man’.
Another one, sung by a lady flashing some currency from a pro-homosexuality country, talks of how women have decided to take their destiny in their own hands by making their own money because they are tired of depending on men who give then so little and yet they sing about it as if without men, women cant do anything for themselves.
Now women don’t really have to express their disgust in song. Men already know that women have progressively been taking charge of things in the last two decades. Women work and they work hard theses days. They look after themselves and their own families as many are away either politicking, clubbing, womanizing, gambling or watching football.
Ugandan women have proved beyond doubt that being a woman is not a disadvantage, they have rejected oppression and exclusion, and they have learnt how to make their own money so that they don’t have to depend on men financially because that undermines their independence and opportunities.
And with equal opportunity to acquire education for girls and boys, and the girl child outperforming boys, the girl-children have been enabled to reach their full potential.
For those few Ugandans who rise early to go to work in towns, will not have failed to notice that the majority of the people on the road by six o’clock in the morning, are women. They literally run the business around us, including guard services, a used to be a preserve of men.
And in the villages, it is the women who are producing all the food that feeds urban dwellers.
Is it surprising therefore that politicians are dependant on women more than never before for their political survival? Remember women make up 50% of our population. But that’s not all. Men respect women more than never before because women are more on top these days. They even acquire men because they now have the capacity and the choice.
On top of all the above, women continue to be the good mothers, good wives, good friends and good companions. Unfortunately, men have not reciprocated all this goodness. Some men have not taken the women emancipation bravely. They seem to fear their successes when they should be celebrating it, and a few still want to keep women down.
In the interest of women liberation, it is time for the women of Uganda to rise up, organise and extended their successes further by challenging for leadership positions because something seems to be eating men up. That is why it is so reassuring seeing women washing cars and working as conductors in buses and taxis, on top of occupying high offices.
But more importantly, for women to sustain their freedom, they must do everything within their abilities to be economically independent. After all, it won’t be long before men wipe themselves out. Just read the news!
Happy Women’s Day.
