Church of Uganda, led by the Provincial Secretary, Rev. Canon William Ongeng, appeared before the Parliamentary Legal and Gender Committees to present the Church’s position on the Marriage Bill, 2024.
The Provincial Chancellor, Canon Naboth Muhairwe, read the Church’s official statement, highlighting key concerns and recommendations on specific clauses within the Bill.
Rt. Rev. Fredrick Jackson Baalwa, the Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala, Sarah Chemonges Taboswa, the Deputy Chancellor of Sebei Diocese, Directors and Officers from the Provincial Secretariat, the Provincial Head of Clergy, and the Provincial Mothers Union President, were part of the Church of Uganda delegation.
The Marriage Bill, 2024, seeks to reform, repeal, and consolidate the legal framework governing marriage in Uganda. While the Church of Uganda acknowledges the progressive nature of the Bill, certain provisions require redrafting or removal to align with the biblical principles and societal values upheld by the Church.
Key Concerns and Recommendations:
Definition of Marriage (Clause 2): The Church of Uganda proposes that marriage be defined as a voluntary union between a man and a woman who are biologically and anatomically male and female at birth, to safeguard against potential legal ambiguities arising from gender reassignment and same-sex unions.
Minister’s Power to Recognize Other Types of Marriages (Clause 3(g)): The Church recommends the deletion of this clause, as it grants excessive authority to the Minister, potentially allowing unconventional forms of marriage that may undermine Uganda’s cultural and religious values.
Legalization of Polygamy in Civil Marriages (Clause 4): Church of Uganda opposes the classification of civil marriages as “potentially polygamous” and recommends that civil marriages remain monogamous to maintain consistency and avoid societal confusion.
Definition of Christian Marriage (Clause 5(b)): The Church suggests amending the clause to read: “Contracted between one man and one woman for life, to the exclusion of others, in accordance with biblical teachings.”
Designation of Celebrants (Clause 32(1) & 32(9)): The Church proposes replacing the term “celebrant” with “Church Priest” to ensure that only licensed clergy officiate marriages in places of worship. Additionally, the discretion of the Registrar to appoint officiants should be removed to prevent unauthorized persons from solemnizing marriages.
Non-Registration of Marriages (Clause 38): The Church recommends deleting this provision to encourage the registration of all marriages and ensure legal recognition.
Conversion of Marriages (Clause 39): The Church strongly opposes allowing the conversion of monogamous marriages into polygamous unions, as this undermines Christian marriage principles. The provision should be revised to prohibit such conversions.
Voidable Marriages (Clause 41): The Church recommends that “change of sex by a married person” be added as a ground for rendering a marriage voidable.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements (Clause 47): The Church urges the removal of this clause, as it reduces marriage to a transactional arrangement, fostering individualism and materialism rather than unity and trust.
Presumption of Marriage (Clause 61):The Church recommends using alternative terminology, such as “recognized co-parenting relationship,” to avoid equating informal relationships with formal marriage.
No-Fault Divorce (Clause 74):The Church proposes that the Bill define specific grounds for “irretrievable breakdown of marriage,” including continuous separation, adultery, desertion, and abuse, to prevent the trivialization of marriage and rampant divorce.
Church of Uganda remains committed to upholding the sanctity of marriage and ensuring that legal frameworks support strong, stable families rooted in biblical values. We urge Parliament to consider these recommendations to safeguard the moral and spiritual foundation of marriage in Uganda.
