A senior government official in Tanzania says he is planning to petition Parliament to introduce a bill that seeks to have husbands literally pay their wives every end of the month.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda made the remarks during his speech to celebrate International Women’s Day at the weekend.

“I will petition the National Assembly to introduce a law that will enable 40 percent of salaries of men in formal employment deducted and credited to the bank accounts of their spouses who are housewives,” Makonda explained.

The reason for this bill, Makonda argues, is that he doesn’t want women to be frustrated by a lack of money.

And for good measure, he has introduced a hotline (+255 682 009 009) which he says ‘depressed’ women can use to seek help from his office, toll-free.

Not done, Makonda has further vouched for the introduction of laws that would compel men to write on their wills instructions making wives the sole custodians of their properties.

He has also urged single mothers to shun antagonizing their children with their deadbeat fathers.

“You’ll find a single mum talking so negatively about her deadbeat ex-partner. One thing that woman should know is that the child wasn’t there when she and her partner first met,” he said.

“It is therefore wise to face your struggles alone, and don’t involve the children. Your toxic talk could have a near-permanent impact on the children, especially your girls who shun getting into heterosexual relationships because – based on what their mothers told them – they (girls) might think that all men are heartbreakers,” he further explained.