Kampala — THE National Association of Women Organisations in Uganda has criticised human rights activists for advocating for the abolition of the death penalty.

The president, Merina Konyonyo, said elimination of the penalty would encourage people to commit offences since they would be assured of escaping the death sentence.

Konyonyo added that it undermines the victims, saying it shows that the activists exercise imbalance when executing their duties.

"Human rights activist always rush in prisons to protect the rights of murderers, defilers and other prisoners but I have never seen them rushing to console people who lose their family members like the parents of Joseph Kasirye in Masaka who was recently beheaded by traditional doctors," she said.

She was speaking at Bbaale Primary School on Thursday, at the launch of a campaign against gender-based violence in Bbaale and Galiraaya subcounties in Kayunga district.

"If somebody has defiled a girl or has murdered a person, I don't see why he should not be punished by death for others to have a lesson and also as a payment to the victims," Konyonyo said.

She advised the Government not to scrap the death penalty.

Konyonyo also warned women against misinterpreting the concept of equality, saying they had to remain submissive to their husbands' to avoid domestic violence.

The secretary general, Peace Kyamureku, said the organisation was training women in the two sub-counties on how to make crafts for export.

Kyamureku said the organisation would work with the Police to fight women's rights violations in Kayunga.