Church of Uganda Calls for Revisions to Marriage Bill, 2024
Reaffirming its commitment to upholding the sanctity of marriage, the Church of Uganda urges Parliament to adopt these recommendations to protect the moral and spiritual foundation of marriage in the country.
The Church of Uganda, led by Provincial Secretary Rev. Canon William Ongeng,Thursday, , y appeared before the Parliamentary Legal and Gender Committees to present its stance on the proposed Marriage Bill, 2024.
Provincial Chancellor Canon Naboth Muhairwe delivered the Church’s official statement, outlining key concerns and recommendations on specific clauses within the Bill.
The Church opposes a clause that it says reduces marriage to a transactional arrangement, arguing that it fosters individualism and materialism instead of unity and trust.
Regarding Clause 61 (Presumption of Marriage), the Church suggests using alternative terminology, such as “recognized co-parenting relationship,” to avoid equating informal relationships with formal marriage.
On Clause 74 (No-Fault Divorce), the Church proposes defining clear grounds for “irretrievable breakdown of marriage,” including continuous separation, adultery, desertion, and abuse. This, it argues, would prevent the trivialization of marriage and rising divorce rates.
Reaffirming its commitment to upholding the sanctity of marriage, the Church of Uganda urges Parliament to adopt these recommendations to protect the moral and spiritual foundation of marriage in the country.
