news 24 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
25-Year-Old Ugandan Feminist Chooses Tubal Ligation at 24, Defies Societal Norms
Mary Ashley Ainomugisha, a 25-year-old women's rights activist, underwent tubal ligation at 24 after realizing motherhood wasn't for her, despite facing stigma and backlash. She shares her journey of empowerment amid social pressures that stigmatize young women opting out of parenthood. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/why-ainomugisha-cut-her-tubes-at-age-of-24-5434616
Mary Ashley Ainomugisha, a 25-year-old marketing professional and self-described feminist, made headlines by choosing tubal ligation at age 24, rejecting societal expectations of marriage and motherhood.
Raised with six brothers and one sister, Ainomugisha attended several secondary schools including Gayaza High School before completing her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing at Strathmore University in Nairobi. Her views shifted during university as she observed the unsupported burdens of motherhood around her, including resentment from overwhelmed mothers and absent fathers.
‘I realized I could empathize with that feeling, but I couldn’t imagine putting a child in a position where they might carry the weight of my unmet needs,’ she reflected. Despite her mother’s discomfort and mixed family reactions, she stood firm, emphasizing that women deserve support in motherhood, which is often lacking in Uganda.
The decision crystallized in December 2024 when diagnosed with large uterine fibroids requiring surgery. She seized the opportunity to have her fallopian tubes cut during the procedure, rejecting her doctor’s suggestion of a copper IUD or waiting until 28.
Post-surgery, Ainomugisha felt liberated and in control. ‘The fear of being trapped with some man and child evaporated. I felt lighter, excited, like I had a new lease on life,’ she said. She still experiences periods and ovulation, but eggs are reabsorbed, preventing natural pregnancy.
Facing online backlash from men and conservative women, she has no regrets. ‘My body is not a playground,’ she asserts, noting it’s easier to regret not having children than to risk inadequate parenting. Her brothers support her, and the procedure cost an extra Shs300,000 atop Shs5 million for fibroid removal.
Dr. Kenneth Buyinza, director general of the Inclusive Health Bureau, cautions against tubal ligation for young childless women, stressing thorough counseling due to its irreversibility in Uganda and potential changes in fertility desires from relationship shifts.
Ainomugisha urges young women to question societal teachings on femininity and prioritize their desires, using her YouTube channel to spark open conversations.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)