The Registrar of Marriages at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has spoken out the registration saga involving the customary marriage between Bukedea District Woman MP and Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among and Moses Magogo Magogo, the Budiope East MP.
The town clerk of Makindye Division Urban Council Geoffrey Rwakabale registered the customary marriage between Magogo, who is also the President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa), and Among, the head of the country’s legislative branch of government.
While the decision by Rwakabale to rescind the registration of the customary marriage between Magogo Among was earlier thought to mean the disqualification of the union.
Now, the Registrar of Marriages at URSB has announced the final decision and guidance on the marriage registration.
Directly referring to the Rwakabale letter that recently leaked to social media, acting URSB Registrar of Marriages Ronald Jackson Lutunda clarified on the town clerk’s powers to invalidate the customary marriage in question.
“Reference is made to a letter by the Town Clerk of Makindye Division Urban Council, Mr. Rwakabale Geoffrey, Ref: MKD/KCCA/1308/06 and dated 16th August, 2022 circulating on social media regarding the rescinding of a customary marriage registration between Magogo Moses Hassim and Among Anita Annet…” wrote Lutunda.
“The role of the Town Clerk in customary marriage registration is to register and transmit a return to the Registrar of Marriages at Uganda Registration Services Bureau. Neither, the Town clerk nor Registrar of Marriages have the authority to invalidate a marriage.”
Acting Registrar of Marriages Lutunda also made it clear that Rwakabale’s letter does not invalidate the customary marriage between Magogo and Anita Among.
“Therefore, the letter from the Town Clerk cannot invalidate the marriage between Magogo Moses Hassim and Among Anita Annet,” wrote Lutunda.
“The public is put on notice to ignore the misleading circulating stories about the validity of the said marriage.”
While rescinding the decision to register the Magogo-Among marriage would not make the same invalid, the union would lack the evidential value that comes with registration.
“Upon completion of the registration at the Sub County Chief or Town Clerk’s office, the Marriage return is filed with Uganda Registration Services Bureau (Registrar of Marriages) to be entered on the National Marriage Register maintained by URSB,” the Registrar of Marriages explained.
“A customary marriage is one of the five types of legal marriages in Uganda. A customary marriage is celebrated according to the rites of an African Community and one of the parties to the marriage must be a member of that community,” explained Lutunda.
“Non-registration of a marriage does not invalidate a marriage. However, registration of a marriage gives evidential value pertaining to that marriage.”
A few days ago, it was reported that the Speaker Anita Among-Moses Magogo marriage registration had ended in tears. (Read Story Here).
An NRM MP has since made shocking revelations on a Museveni minister reportedly behind the cancellation of the Speaker Anita Among-Moses Magogo marriage registration. (Read Story Here).
Meanwhile, a minister in Museveni’s government has since said she survived an assassination attack on Wednesday. (Read Story Here).
Away from that, there is an interesting and free training opportunity for Ugandan businesses by the University of Chicago. (See Details HERE).
