By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Controversial city pastor, Pr. Martin Ssempa, has urged Parliament to amend marriage laws and legalize polygamy under the Marriage Bill 2024, allowing Christian men and women to marry more than one partner.
Appearing before Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Gender Committee on February 6, Ssempa argued that while current marriage laws recognize monogamy (one man, one wife) as the only acceptable form of Christian marriage, many Christians are already in polygamous unions.
“We must recognize polygamy as an arrangement for the Christian community. Why should families be separated or marriages broken up for people to be considered Christians?” he questioned.
Additionally, he called for the criminalization of adultery and suggested setting a minimum of three instances per week for conjugal obligations in marriage.
Ssempa’s proposal has been overwhelmingly rejected by the Christian community, including religious leaders, who argue that it undermines societal values and contradicts religious teachings.
Rev. Aaron Mwesigye, the Director of Religious Affairs in the Office of the President, dismissed Ssempa’s views, attributing them to his personal history.
“I know Pr. Ssempa personally. He is speaking from his past experiences because he lost his family. He is simply justifying why he should be given another opportunity, like Pr. Bugingo. These are personal matters, not mandatory issues for Parliament to discuss,” Mwesigye stated.
He emphasized that Christianity strictly forbids polygamy and only recognizes marriage between one man and one woman. While acknowledging Ssempa’s right to express his views, Mwesigwa strongly opposed the proposal to legalize polygamy for Christians.
“Ideas are not a monopoly of one person. Pr. Ssempa spoke as an individual, not on behalf of the government. Parliament would be wasting time discussing this issue,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Rose Lilly Akello, reaffirmed that Uganda’s Constitution already provides for polygamous marriages under customary laws. She advised those interested in polygamy to opt for customary marriage instead of Christian or civil marriages.
“I don’t know where he got the idea that Parliament should amend the law. The Constitution is clear—those who want polygamy can marry traditionally. However, other denominations recognize only monogamous marriages, and even civil marriage does not permit polygamy,” she clarified.
Akello made these remarks during a joint press conference on preparations for the upcoming Bishop Janani Luwum Day celebrations, scheduled for February 16, 2025, in Mucwini West Subcounty, Kitgum District.
She also revealed that the government has allocated UGX 400 million to finance the event and reiterated plans to develop Bishop Janani Luwum’s burial site at Wii-Gweng village, Pachua Pakuba, Mucwini West Subcounty into a tourism site.
Rev. Canon William Ongeng, Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, highlighted that the Church is conducting several missions and activities in Kitgum Diocese ahead of the commemoration.
The main memorial service will be led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Most Rev. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, with Bishop Dr. Sheldon Fred Mwesigwa of Ankole Diocese as the chief preacher.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to be the Chief Guest at the function.
About Bishop Janan Luwum Day
Janani Luwum, an archbishop, was 2nd Archbishop of the church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga- Zaire . He was arrested in February 1977 and died shortly after. The official account says he died in a car crash, but it’s widely believed he was murdered by order of President Idi Amin on February 16.
In February 2015, President Yoweri Museveni declared February 16 every year a national , public holiday to remember the celebrate Bishop Janan Luwum (St Janani Luwum Day).
