Susan Makula has refused to withdraw her controversial advice to women about dating men who are still living in rented houses, saying she does not regret the message despite the criticism it has received on social media.

Makula made the remarks while attending the Beauty Beyond The Scars event, where she spoke to women about relationships, marriage, personal responsibility and the importance of making careful decisions when choosing a partner.

Her comments quickly attracted attention online, with some social media users accusing her of unfairly judging men based on whether they own a home or live in rented accommodation.

Some people argued that owning a house should not be used as a measure of whether a man is responsible, financially stable or ready for marriage. They noted that many successful people begin their lives in rented accommodation before eventually acquiring property.

However, Makula has now responded to those who criticised her, insisting that her message was misunderstood and that she was not saying that every woman should automatically reject a man simply because he rents a house.

“I don’t care,” Makula said while responding to the backlash, making it clear that she was not prepared to apologise for raising the issue.

She explained that she herself once lived in a rented house and therefore understands that renting is not necessarily a permanent situation or something that should make a person feel ashamed.

“Those who want to understand and will also have girl children, I also started in a rental and now have tenants,” she said, explaining that her own journey had moved from renting to owning property.

Makula also acknowledged that some of her friends continue to rent houses and said there is nothing inherently wrong with living in rented accommodation.

“It is absolutely okay to marry someone when you are still renting and work hard and leave it,” she said, clarifying that her concern was not simply about whether a man rents or owns a house.

Instead, Makula said she was particularly concerned about relationships where a woman becomes pregnant and is then left without adequate support, security or a stable family environment.

“What’s not right is to bring someone’s daughter and leave them there,” she said, arguing that abandoning women after getting them pregnant has become too common.

She said that some men have normalised having children with women without making sufficient preparations to support the mothers and children who depend on them.

According to Makula, the discussion should therefore go beyond the issue of a rented house and focus on responsibility, planning and a person’s willingness to build a stable future.

She also questioned the idea that simply receiving keys to a man’s rented house should immediately convince a woman that she has entered a secure and permanent marriage.

Makula said women should look at the bigger picture instead of treating access to rented accommodation as proof that a relationship is automatically stable.

She encouraged women to consider a man’s plans, responsibility and ability to work toward building a future rather than relying only on what is available at the beginning of a relationship.

The entrepreneur also used the opportunity to encourage women to work and become financially independent. She said women should not put their entire future in the hands of a man.

Makula recalled that she had encouraged women at the Beauty Beyond The Scars event to pursue work and financial independence, and she said she even gave out Shs500,000 to support some of the women present.

According to her, one woman received Shs200,000 while another received Shs300,000. She said her intention was to encourage women to become economically active and make decisions that would improve their lives.

Makula’s latest comments have therefore attempted to clarify what she meant while maintaining her original position. She says renting itself is not the problem, but rather relationships in which men take on responsibilities such as fatherhood without adequately supporting the women and children involved.

Her remarks continue to generate debate because people have different views about what should determine readiness for marriage. While some agree that financial planning and responsibility are important, others maintain that property ownership should not be treated as a requirement for a successful relationship.

For Makula, however, the central message remains that women should think carefully about the future, work toward financial independence and pay attention to responsibility when choosing relationships. Despite the criticism, she has made it clear that she stands by the broader message she delivered at the event.