Recently, Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa stirred public debate after suggesting that men should pay their wives for the heavy workload they manage at home. To emphasize his point, Barasa pledged to pay his own wife a monthly stipend of KSh 100,000 as a gesture of appreciation for her dedication to their household. His statement raises important questions about the value of domestic labor and whether it should be recognized in monetary terms.
Traditionally, housework and caregiving have been viewed as natural responsibilities of women, particularly in African societies. Cooking, cleaning, raising children, and managing the household are often invisible forms of labor because they do not produce direct income. Yet, without these tasks, families could not function smoothly, and breadwinners would not be able to perform effectively in their professional lives. In this sense, domestic work is the backbone of family stability, even though it is rarely acknowledged as “real work.”
Barasa’s suggestion challenges the cultural norm of taking women’s efforts for granted. By proposing payment, he highlights that household work carries both economic and emotional value. For example, if families were to hire cooks, cleaners, and nannies, the cost would run into tens of thousands of shillings per month. This means that many women are essentially performing unpaid labor equivalent to full-time employment.
On the other hand, some critics argue that monetizing spousal duties could undermine the spirit of marriage. They claim that acts of care and love should not be reduced to financial transactions. From this perspective, compensating a wife with money risks framing her as an employee rather than a partner. Instead, they suggest that men should show appreciation through shared responsibility, emotional support, and respect, rather than just financial rewards.
Nonetheless, Barasa’s proposal has forced society to confront an uncomfortable truth: women’s unpaid labor has been overlooked for generations. Whether or not money is the right solution, his pledge draws attention to the need for men to recognize and value the work that women contribute to the home. If more men shared household duties or offered tangible appreciation, family relationships could become more balanced and fulfilling.
In conclusion, the debate sparked by Barasa reflects a broader global conversation about gender roles and the economic value of unpaid care work. His decision to give his wife KSh 100,000 may be symbolic, but it highlights an urgent issue: the need to respect, acknowledge, and fairly value women’s contributions within the family and society at large.
