Francis Kagoro & Catherine Bekunda
26 October 2008
Kampala — AN official of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has criticised the ethics and integrity minister, Dr. Nsaba Buturo, for proposing to ban women from wearing mini-skirts in Kampala.
Rose Segawa, the UHRC director in charge of monitoring and inspection, said banning mini-skirts would be a violation of human rights. "You cannot dictate what another person should wear. If you think it is immoral, counsel them."
Buturo recently told journalists that he would soon carry out a crack-down on prostitutes and women who wear mini-skirts. He said such "indecent" women caused excitement among drivers, leading to the increase in traffic accidents.
However, speaking at the end of a two-day conference organised by Makerere university Law Faculty on Friday, Segawa said the issue should be left to the discretion of the people. "The minister should avoid imposing values on people," Segawa said. She also attacked the Government over the delay to scrap the death sentence. "Human beings are entitled to protection and respect. Death is not a deterrent punishment. It is high time we devised viable alternatives to capital punishment."
Dr. Henry Onoria, a senior Makerere University lecturer, however, asked Parliament to re-modify the Domestic Relations Bill and make marital rape a criminal offence.
He said the laxity in laws was the major reason for the rampant domestic violence in the country.
The Bill, which was recently altered to suit Islamic interests, allows a wife to refuse sex due to poor health after child birth, surgery or during menstrual periods.
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