Women Activists from different NGOs are demanding for an apology from
the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labor and social
Development Pius Bigirimana for the insult and physiological trauma he
caused to one of its member Ritah Aciro.

This started yesterday when, Ritah Aciro, the Executive Director of
Uganda Women Network (UWONET) was arrested for few hours on the
directions of Pius Bigirimana when she had appeared for a meeting of
the UN joint program on Gender Equality that was being held in the
Ministry of Gender Board room.

It is said that this was done in relation to the press conference
UWONET called for last year in May to condemn the appointment of Pius
Bigirimana in this ministry given his tainted background of the
corruption scandals from the office of the prime Minister which
Bigirimana claims caused him a lot of grief.

According to the Executive Director of FIDA Irene Ovonji Odida who
spoke on behalf of other network members, she castigates the actions
of Bigirimana that started with chasing Ritah out of this meeting,
denying her a right to communicate to others because her phone was
confiscated was not proper because as women, they have a right to
participate in matters of governance in this country.

Solome Nakawesi says what Bigirimana did was an attack on Women
movement who had been represented by Ritah and says Bigirimana has to
do a written a apology for this.

These also call upon government officials to stop using their offices
to intimidate citizens as well as advising police to refrain from
being used to commit crime