Illiterate men too need wives
Vice President Dr. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe was quoted last week encouraging women to shun uneducated men.Kazibwe says such men tend to wield a lot of power and keep their wives out of the decision making process.
Of late Kazibwe has turned into a senga, advising women on various topics.
First it was the uncircumcised men.
What we know is that Kazibwe means well; she wants marriages to work so that family values could be passed onto the children.
However, good intentions pursued the wrong way are likely to back-fire.
The vice president knows that teaching children to read and write, as is the case in the majority of the UPE schools in the villages is not enough to produce super husbands.
As she can testify, having a graduate husband or wife is not a guarantee that a marriage will work.
The values that help a marriage survive are not necessarily leant in the classrooms or lecture rooms at universities.
If anything, divorce rates are high! er in societies where getting a degree is more of the rule than the exception.
Education can only help Kazibwe's crusade if it reinforces values learnt at home.
The challenge is for parents like Kazibwe to ensure that their sons are brought up to respect their sisters. This is crucial in determining how they will turn out.
Women should therefore look for well-bred men who are humane, respectful, hardworking and have other qualities they desire.
It is a bonus if these men are well educated.
Culture is dynamic. Such change must start from families where parents have the above qualities - not where women refuse to marry good but uneducated men.
January 18, 2003 00:09:05
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