By Wabomba Ronnie
MBALE CITY
Women leaders from Mbale City and Bugisu sub region underwent a one-day sensitization about the prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) ahead of the highly anticipated 2026 Elections.
The training was held at Shine On Hotel in Mbale City on Thursday, and it was organized by the National Secretariat for Special Interest Groups and the National Women Council under the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development. The facilitators included the Police from the Family Protection Unit, the Resident City Commissioner, Officials from the Probation Office, and Officers from the Community Development Office.
The National Women Council Chairperson, Hajjati Farida Kibowa, says as a Women Council, they thought it wise to engage women to minimize GBV because during election periods, many homes have fights. Kibowa encouraged women leaders to pass the message to fellow women that they lead to make sure that they keep peace and urged men to give women an opportunity to support candidates of their choices.
Kibowa says they reminded women leaders about their roles and responsibilities in supporting fellow women and supporting families, adding that there are issues that come with politics and other issues that come with marriage that cause GBV, and they need to sensitize women to mitigate the causes of GBV.
She encourages women to embrace government programs in order to create wealth because poverty is among the causes of GBV. She also urged women to mind their business and refrain from chasing their husbands and overlooking them because of jealousy but instead respect men, focus on their lane, and give men enough space, adding that women also need to clean and refrain from intimidating their husbands.
Annet Namwase, the Mbale City Community Development Officer, says Women Council leaders ought to spread the message of peace in families to reduce GBV, and they need to remind fellow women about places to report in case they have been victims of GBV like the Local Council, Hospitals, Police, Family Courts etc. instead of keeping quiet and suffering seriously because GBV is serious and harmful.
Dominic Wanzira, the Mbale City Probation Officer, says the rates of GBV in Mbale City are alarming and there have been cases of loss of life, adding that the major driving factors are poverty, drug abuse and the mentality of people staying together as partners without knowing the background of their lovers or even knowing where they come from.
Kayegi Madina, from Namisindwa, Bukhabusi, Buwatuwa, says most men in Namisindwa have abandoned their responsibilities to women and they sit in trading centers during this campaign period waiting for candidates to give them money to drink, adding that other men have left families and gone to neighboring Kenya.
