By Eli Alfred and Lady Heart Tina,
KAMPALA:
Contentious City Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi Kiwanuka has dragged Pastor Aloysius Bugingo and his new wife Suzan Makula to court for breaching customary marriage norms of Uganda.
Bujingo was introduced by Susan Makula in a customary marriage ceremony that was held in Katabi, Entebbe Municipality yesterday.
In a lawsuit filed by Mabirizi, he says that the couple violated the Customary Marriage Law which prohibits married people from remarrying before divorce.
One might wonder why its Mabirizi that has dragged the couple to court instead of Bugingo’s estranged wife Teddy Naluswa.
According to the Constitution of Uganda, criminal cases are by the state and all the state needs is a complainant and in this case, Mabirizi is the complainant.
Emmanuel Kirya , an Associate at KBW Advocates say that the Law makes it an offence for one who is already married in Church to carry out a customary marriage.
“It appears as if Mabirizi has a valid charge against Bugingo, but he has an uphill task to prove that; Bugingo is married in Church, that the Marriage is still subsisting, That he Married another Woman customarily. Mabirizi may have to bring evidence of a Customary Marriage Certificate to prove Bujjingo’s marriage to Makula,” states Kirya.
He, however says a charge against Makula is out of sheer excitement .
In 2019, Bugingo filed a divorce case at Kajjansi Magistrate court against his wife Teddy Naluswa and sought dissolution of their 29-year marriage.
A month ago, the court mediation process that was meant to reconcile Pastor Bugingo and Naluswa hit a dead end as Naluswa opposed the dissolution of their marriage, saying what God has already put together no person can separate.
The lawyers this website spoke to yesterday, said that Bugingo’s traditional marriage to Makula is void as he has to first secure a divorce.
