By Priscilla Owomugisha,
NATIONAL
“I urge colleagues in the Indian fraternity to allow some of us or some of our children to get married to some of the beautiful Indian ladies?” Hon. Opolot said
As a way of enhancing mutual relationships between Uganda and India, the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Indian Affairs was launched in Uganda last week.
The Forum which brings together legislators from either countries seeks to enhance bilateral relations, increase close collaborations on various sectors such as human rights, culture, education, national disaster relief science and technology, research and economic development among others.
About 25 members of parliament of Uganda are subscribing to this Forum under the Patronage of the speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Anitah Annette Among.
However, the Forum chairperson Hon. Fred Opolot, who is also the Pingire County legislator, the relations between Uganda and India may remain a nightmare if the racial discrimination in marriages continue to exist.
Speaking at the launch of the Forum, Opolot noted that he has closely observed that Indian men are marrying Ugandan women yet it’s hard nor even impossible for Ugandan men to marry with women of Indian national.
“I urge colleagues in the Indian fraternity to allow some of us or some of our children to get married to some of the beautiful Indian ladies?” Hon. Opolot said
Opolot said historical relations between Uganda and India span over a century with the arrival of the more than 30,000 Indians at the East African Coast urging for intermarriages to strengthen the relations.
Responding to the legislator’s remarks, Trushar Upadhyay, an Indian national who coordinated the establishment of the forum together with Rajesh Chaplot, the former chairman of Indian Association of Uganda, said in Kenya, the men are already marrying Indian women but the marriages do not last due to differences in culture.
Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye and ICT and National Guidance Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, welcomed the proposal.
However minister Baryomunsi was quick to remind the MP that there is no law that prohibits intermarriages between Indians in Uganda. He said intermarriages between Indians and Ugandans does not require parliamentary intervention.
Ajay Kumar, the Indian High Commissioner to Uganda, revealed that the Indian government has established a low interest line of credit, which government should take advantage of to promote investments and infrastructure development in the country.
