CONSULTATIVE MEETING WITH MPS AND CULTURAL LEADERS ON THE MARRIAGE BILL 2022 HELD ON 05TH APRIL, 2023 AT HOTEL AFRICAN.

UWOPA with funding from EU Spotlight Initiative through UNWOMEN is implementing 18 months project on ‘Upholding the Rights of Women and Men through Gender Sensitive Legislation.’ with the aim of promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls through effective gender responsive legislation, policy influencing and budgeting. UWOPA organized a half day lobby meeting and took MPs and key stakeholders through clause by clause of the Bill to enable them understand content therein, get their input to the Bill as well as gunner support for the Bill once tabled on the floor of Parliament for debate.

Cultural leaders in attendance were ker Kwaro Acholi, Tooro Kingom, Ker Alur, Buganda kingdom, Tieng Adhola, Obwe’nengo Bwa Bugwe, Lango Culture institution, Obukama Bwa Buruuli, Obwakamuswaga Bwa Kooki, Obsinga Bwa Rwenzururu, Inzu ya Masaba, Obudinghiya Bwa Bamba, Obwa Ikumbania Bwa Bugwere, Karamoja Elder’s Association, obwa kyabazinga bwa Busoga, Obukama bwa Bunyala, Lugbara Kari and Iteso culture union.

Objectives

a) To collect views from MPs and key stakeholders to enrich the draft, Marriage Bill.

b) To gunner support for passing of the Marriage Bill 2022 in Parliament.

Justification

The Marriage Bill 2022 is an act to reform and consolidate the law relating to Civil, Christian, Hindu, Bahai and Customary marriages; to provide for the types of recognized marriages, marital rights and duties; separation and divorce, and consequences of separation and divorce; and other related matters.

Comprehensive studies by different Government agencies on laws regulating to marriages in Uganda reveal an urgent need of amendment of these laws to align them with Constitution of Uganda, 1995; laws regulating to different types of marriages in Uganda have become obsolete in light of the Constitution, government policies and international best practices that have also evolved.

There is urgent need to amend the laws governing marriage in Uganda in order to safeguard the institution of marriage, clarify the rights of parties in a marriage, incorporate the standards of fairness and equity in those laws and codify various decisions of courts of judicature pertaining to maintenance, sharing of matrimonial property, grounds for divorce, bride price, widow inheritance and parental consent.

The Bill therefore seeks to provide a comprehensive legislation on matters relating to marriage considering that the Marriage Act enacted 118 years ago has not been amended. To provide for the rights of men and women in marriage as enriched in Article 31(1) of the Constitution, during the marriage and at its dissolution. The Bill also deals with widow inheritance and separation. We believe that the Marriage Bill 2022 will provide for a comprehensive legislation on matters relating to marriage under one law. On 21st July 2022, Hon. Sarah Opendi - MP for Tororo District and Chairperson UWOPA was granted leave of the House to introduce a Private Member’s Bill, entitled, Marriage Bill 2022.

There is therefore need to meet with Members of Parliament, Civil Society Organizations and Cultural Leaders before the Bill is tabled on the floor of Parliament for first reading.