opinion 4 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
From Biblical Eve to Uganda's Iron Sheets: How Systems Make Women the Scapegoats of Scandals
Historical and modern examples reveal a persistent pattern where women are singled out as symbols of blame in systemic failures, from Eve in Genesis to Uganda's iron sheets scandal involving Agnes Nandutu. Understanding these systems pushes society beyond individual guilt to demand deeper accountability and reform. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/from-eve-to-iron-sheets-how-systems-turn-women-into-stories-5446062
Societies have long scripted women as central figures in narratives of downfall, starting with Eve in the Book of Genesis, where she embodies temptation and blame. This pattern persisted through medieval witch hunts in Europe, which served as tools to control women’s autonomy, and similar symbolic roles in African traditions.
In contemporary times, modern institutions echo this tendency. Uganda’s iron sheets scandal spotlighted Agnes Nandutu, much like Ghislaine Maxwell in the Epstein case became the face of a vast network of powerful men and institutional lapses. Similar dynamics played out with figures like Khalida Toumi in Algeria, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko in Rwanda, and others across Nigeria, the Netherlands, and Morocco.
These women, whether in power or proximity to it, are framed as exceptional anchors—heroes or villains—rather than parts of complex systems. Corruption, such as the iron sheets misallocation, thrives on institutional approvals, silences, and networks, not solo acts. Yet, public focus on individuals allows systems to endure unchecked.
Grasping this shifts scrutiny from ‘who is guilty?’ to ‘how did this happen?’ It demands probing approvals, beneficiaries, and failures, closing the gap between ‘them’ and ‘us.’ True change lies in redesigning governance to align with values, turning spectators into active rewriters of the story.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)