Ugandan Minister: Indecently Dressed Women Are Asking to Be Raped · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

A screenshot from the petition calling for the minister's resignation.
According to Uganda's Youth Affairs Minister Ronald Kibuule, women who are dressed indecently are asking to be raped, and suspects who have raped such women should be released. He also said that in cases of rape, police should first ascertain the dress code of the victim, and if they were dressed indecently, they should also be charged with inviting the crime.
Kibuule made the comments in Kajara County, Ntungamo District on Saturday September 21, 2012, while attending the launch of Kajara Youth Development Cooperative and Savings Society. The comments appeared on Uganda's newspaper Daily Monitor on September 24, 2013. The article, however, did not explain the context in which Kibuule made the comments.
The parliament has summoned the minister to appear before it to explain the comment he made last week.
Ugandan netizens responded in fury to the comments using the hashtag #Kibuule on Twitter. Those calling for his resignation are using the hashtags #KibuuleMustGo and #KibuuleOut.
A petition on Change.org calls for his resignation:
By these words, Mr. Kibuule is promoting the rape of women based on their dress code; he is excusing rapists for their crimes against supposedly scantily clad women and; he is ensuring that victims of rape are afraid to come forward for fear of being persecuted for being raped. He should lose his position immediately since he clearly does not represent the well being of his constituents.
Rosebell Kagumire (@RosebellK), a Ugandan online journalist, wrote:
4000 children in northern #uganda are defiled annually, I bet #kibuule thinks its because they were provocative! Idiots in power!
— Rosebell Kagumire (@RosebellK) September 24, 2013
Linda (@LindaNEK), a Ugandan businesswoman, ridiculed the minister’s moral authority:
#Kibuule is morally incompetent to give any substantial opinion on Moral issues esp considerin the fact that hes a Polygamist @DailyMonitor
— Linda (@LindaNEK) September 24, 2013
Mark Namamanya (@mnamanya), a sports journalist, observed:
In most societies, the clown that is #Kibuule would be holding a resignation press conference today. Sadly, Uganda is not most societies
— Mark Namanya (@mnamanya) September 24, 2013
Gordon G Ananura (@NgabiranoIV) joined those that ridiculed the minister:
@eshbankwesiga @iDEASUG : I knew tht #Kibuule Minister was a joke
— Gordon G.N Ananura (@NgabiranoIV) September 24, 2013
However, some Ugandans such as Ibrahim Batambuze (@TheBigPapaa) supported the minister's argument:
@Mr_Bata_ totally agree with you. If you leave your door open and you are robbed, whose to blame for your stupidity? #Kibuule
— Anthony J Kateeba (@TheBigPapaa) September 24, 2013