The Hon.Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo on November 24, 2017 launched two books unmasking the mystery of marriage and divorce in Uganda. The publications were authored by Makerere University Law dons.
The books entitled: “Divorce Law, a casebook for Uganda and The Politics of putting asunder” provide a critical analysis of the current state of divorce laws in Uganda.
The Divorce Law, a casebook for Uganda was authored by Court of Appeal Justice, Hon. Lady Justice Solomy Barungi Bbossa. While launching the publications that seek to inform policymakers and legal practitioners and students on issues surrounding marriages and divorce in Uganda, the Deputy Chief Justice said African societies had a strong marriage institution, which was found repugnant by colonialists.
Hon. Justice Owiny Dollo is of the view that if the intricacy of marriage is to be dealt with, there needs to be a review of the biblical commandments on marriage.
“We alsoneed to fight to amend the marriage laws in the Bible, before we start fighting to amend the laws of men” Hon. Justice Owiny Dollo said.
The first of their kind in legal academia in Uganda, the books are expected to inform policymakers and legal practitioners and students on complex issues surrounding marriages and divorce In Uganda.
Since 1960’s the women movement in Uganda has been engaged in a protracted struggle to have a legislation governing the family, which is underpinned by gender parity.
The marriage and divorce bill continues to gather dust on shelves after it was rejected in Parliament and largely the Muslim community, which found it offensive to their religious doctrine.
The politics of putting asunder was authored by Uganda’s leading law scholars Prof Sylvia Tamale, Dr Maria Nassali, Dr Zahara Nampewo, Dr Monica Twesiime Kirya,Dr Harriet Diana Musoke, Dr Damalie Naggita, Patricia Atim and Sewaya Muhammad.
As the Marriage and Divorce Bill continues to face resistance from various sections of society, it remains to be seen whether the informative treatise authored by the law scholars can shape the debate on this veritable subject in a patriarchal society.
