Tanzania: Mama Samia Legal Aid Team Faces Economic Violence in Kagera Region

Kagera — Economic violence is a major issue, Mama Samia Legal Aid team has to tackle during its tour of rural areas in Kagera Region.

Among the victims of the economic violence are women residing in Kishanje Ward, Bukoba District Council of the Kagera region, who need regular legal education to fight economic violence.

They have made the call in the ongoing Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign region-wide, claiming that they always experience violence, especially during the coffee harvesting season.

“We are the ones who take care of coffee farms from scratch to harvesting, but never see the sales. Still, some husbands spend all the money on nothing but alcohol consumption,” lamented one of the residents, Ms Lydia Kagya.

In response, the village’s men claimed they normally leave banana farms under their wives’ control, demanding no (banana) sales.

“And banana sales are seasonal, unlike bananas, meaning that the wives are earning more than we, fathers. Is this not economy balancing?,” asked Mr Joseph Kahangwa.

The women maintained their position, challenging that banana sales are for community saving groups, according to most families’ agreement, with husbands still demanding the income.