The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has clarified that the customary marriage between Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and Fufa president Moses Magogo is valid.
In a Thursday, 22 September 2022 statement signed by Mr Ronald Jackson Lutunda on behalf of the Registrar of Marriages, URSB says a town clerk cannot invalidate a marriage as has been circulating in the media.
“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,” the statement reads in part.
URSB was responding to a letter by the Town Clerk of Makindye Division Urban Council, Mr. Rwakabale Geoffrey, dated 16th August, 2022, which has been circulating on social media, indicating that the customary marriage registration between Magogo and Among has been invalidated.
According to URSB, non-registration does not invalidate a marriage.
“The public is put on notice to ignore the misleading circulating stories about the validity of the said marriage. 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 statement reads.
“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. Non-registration of a marriage does not invalidate a marriage. However, registration of a marriage gives evidential value pertaining to that marriage,” the letter adds.
Anita Among got married to Magogo on Friday August 12, 2022 in a private ceremony in Kampala. This was after she officially introduced her fiancé in a closed-door ceremony in Bukedea District under tight security and it was attended by few legislators, high profile government officials and personalities.
Rumour has it that the Magogo paid 50 cows and 30 goats as bride price for the brown skinned leader of Parliament.
However, Magogo has another partner, Della Sallah, whom he proposed to in December 2017, and they have two children.
Magogo and Among’s relationship blossomed during 2021 election campaigns as the pair combed their home areas looking for votes.
Among was pushing for re-election as Bukedea District Women MP as Moses Magogo bid to enter parliament for the first time contesting on Budiope East.
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