Emasculation of the Kenyan male?

There are many things i remember about growing up in the south side of Nairobi, some memorable, others i would wish to forget.There is a particular episode that sharply came back to me earlier this week as i witnessed the on-goings in the news about a man who's face had been mutilated by his disgruntled wife.
Some time in the late '90s, a father to one of my childhood friends was awakened by his wife in a rather unceremonious and disrespectful way.It was early morning, around 7AM or thereabouts, when i was awakened by the loud screams and moans of a man.Fearing that one of my close neighbors' lives was in danger, i quickly jumped out of the bed, dressed up and headed out hoping to come to their rescue.
What awaited me outside, however, was utter shock and disbelief.The scene was something reminiscent of a scene from a comical movie.My friend's father, who was shirtless, had taken to his heels, fleeing from his cane-holding wife who had quite presumably vowed to mete out a thorough beating on him.I never quite got to unearth the genesis of their disagreement.


That incident more than ten years ago got me thinking about what we have been witnessing in the news recently; an apparent emasculation of the male gender, a by-product of feminism and the supposed empowerment of females.Is gender violence against men a new phenomenon? or has it recently gained traction due to the change of womens' position socially and economically? Many would argue that since women today are more economically empowered than their counterparts decades ago, they have less need for men in their lives and as a result tend to be condescending towards them.I beg to differ.


While it may be true that women are now able to generate income for themselves, it is incorrect to make a generalization that this is the reason for their aggressive behavior towards men.It is quite plausible that the men who bear the brunt of this female fury also do have a part to play.Tales abound of men who have become 'vegetative'; whose only meaningful engagements are imbibing alcohol and other stimulants and intoxicants.This leaves the woman both as the sole breadwinner and steward of the neglected children and  family.Who doesn't deserve a beating for such irresponsibility?


As one famous politician once said, a successful nation depends on the strength of its homes.Let us build a strong nation from the ground up.Let us be willing to make sacrifices, nurture our children, and most importantly, love and respect each other.