By Jontahan Bukenya
Picking a leaf from the neighboring countries Tanzania and Kenya where male employees are granted five and 14 days respectively of paid paternity leave. The Ugandan parliament has passed a bill that increases paternity leave from four to seven days to enable male working employees to help their spouses after birth.
Flavia Kabahenda the chairperson of parliament’s gender committee, said their wish is to have a community were men play a full role in helping out their spouses. She added on and said most men leave their spouses with relatives and friends due to lack of time to help them out but this bill would help to allocate time to men to spend time with their spouses.
The parliament, however, refused a proposal to provide additional leave days from the current 60 days to 90 days for female employees who give birth to more than one child at the same time (Twins, Triplets). The Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka says this will be of negative impact to the employers.
The bill now waits for President Yoweri Museveni assent before it becomes law.
