Outrage as Ugandan MP says 'beat your wife'

A Ugandan MP has been told to apologise to victims of domestic violence after saying men should “beat” their wives.

Onesimus Twinamasiko said on Ugandan television channel NTV “as a man, you need to discipline your wife.

“You need to touch her a bit, you tackle her, beat her somehow to really streamline her.”

His words have met with strong criticism from social media users, with one leading women’s rights group in Uganda saying he should seek therapy.

“Mr Twinamasiko should make a public apology to all women who have experienced violence,” Diana Kagere of the Center for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP) told the BBC.

“He should do the honourable thing and withdraw that statement. It’s really a shock that a member of parliament would justify violence in any way. This is about crime.”

More than one in five women aged 15-49 have experienced domestic or sexual violence in Uganda, according to a government report published last year.