{UAH} WOMEN EMANCIPATION AFRICAN

PROGRESSIVE AFRICAN SOCIETIES ARE FOR GENDER SPECIALIZATION BUT NOT OPRESSION

The role of Nambi in the legend of Kintu as told by Baganda and Basoga is a clear testimony that some pre colonial African societies were gender sentitive. Kintu was a king but Nambi made a poor lonely Kintu rich because she hailed from a very rich family of Gulu.

The role of of two royal wives; Nakku at Ganda and Najjuka at Kireka, in smuggling Kimera from Kibuulala in Singo, then in Bunyoro and enthroning him in Buganda. Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi ll is a direct descendent of Kabaka Kimera.

In Kitara including Bunyoro, Tooro, Ankole and others , there were roles of noble ladies like Nyinamwiru, Nyamata, during the reigns of Abatembuzi and Abacwezi.

In Kigezi there was a princess Karukara from Rwanda, who started the Nyabingi cult that resisted German, Belgian and British rule until she was detained at Kibuye opposite present Katwe police station.

In Buganda, although the role of royal wives was minimal as it was a polygamous society, the fact that kings belong to their mothers' clans, and royals belong to their mothers' totems, is a clear indicator of the rile of women.

Buluuli now divided between Nakasongola of Buganda and Buluuli of Bunyoro, was under Princess Nyangoma or Nangoma.

Namasole or Queen Mother and Nnaalinnya, Princess royal were very powerful and this is well illustrated in the time of Kabaka Mukaabya Walugembe Muteesa ll between 1856 and 1884, which is well documented.

Thanks for the missionaries for the early state of girls schools like Gayaaza and early nomination of women like Florence Lubega in Legislative Council.

In post independence Uganda, Amin directed that women should take on business and that  hotel managers should be women. He appointed Princess Elizabeth Bagaya as Foreign Minister.

However full emancipation of women came with NRM/NRA victory in 1986 and the climax is for every district to have a district woman MP AND EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL TO HAVE AT LEAST A THIRD for women, the climax was Dr.Specioza Kazibwe as Vice President, and now Rebecca ALitwala Kadaga as Speaker, Justine Kasule Lumumba as Secretary General of the ruling party, NRM, among others.

Among the Ibo in eastern Nigeria, once upon a time, the great Ibo nation was ruled by women but when they all became pregnant , the men seized the opportunity to take over.

So, these days there is men oppression by women and in some families wives beat up husbands and even polyandry is practiced where a wife has more than one husband in a homestead, yet modern society discourages polygamy. So we should remain gender sensitive but equality is not uniformity. As the late Muammar El Qadaafi of Libya, gender equality should not turn females into masculine beings  or nakawanga, and males into, feminine, or nanseera. Happy International Women's Day.

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com