Uganda MP: 'As a man, you need to discipline your wife'

A Ugandan MP has left people horrified after saying men need to "discipline" and "beat" their wives.

Twinamasiko Onesimus, who represents Bugangaizi East constituency was speaking to Ugandan television channel NTV when he made the shock statement.

"As a man, you need to discipline your wife," he told the channel. "You need to touch her a bit, you tackle her, beat her some how to really steamline her."

"As a man, you need to discipline your wife...touch her a bit, tackle her and beat her to streamline her"- Onesmus Twinamasiko, MP, Bugangaizi East following comments by Museveni that men who beat women are cowards and should face the full wrath of the law pic.twitter.com/yhoEVRk212

— Patu™ (@AyamPatra) March 11, 2018

The short clip of Mr Onesimus speaking was shared by an NTV journalist, and people were quick to react.

A few slaps here and there wouldn't hurt, would they?

— Yogi (@omarmangeli) March 12, 2018

They have a leadership code....he has probably smashed it beyond repair or resurrection

— sourced (@sourced) March 11, 2018

It appears Mr Onesimus, who is married, was responding to comments made by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, who said men who beat their wives or girlfriends were "cowards".

“Men who beat women are foolish and cowardly,” he told crowds gathered to mark International Women's Day, according to Ugandan Christian News.

The Daily Monitor newspaper reports more than one in five women aged 15-49 had experienced domestic or sexual violence in Uganda.