Latest news with #SexualOffencesBill
Zawya
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Uganda: Pastors want cohabiting couples declared as married
Pentecostal pastors in Kampala have asked for a provision in the Marriage Bill, 2024 to consider cohabiting couples as married. This, the pastors under the National Pastors Platform of Kampala said will prevent the growing tendency of men who take long to commit to relationships, even when children are involved and the resultant damage to women and children. Led by their chairperson, Bishop David Kiganda, the group proposes that couples who stay together for at least five years should automatically be declared as married. 'Cohabitation will weaken marriages, some people do not wish to marry and they have ruined many lives,' Kiganda said adding that 'We suggest that staying with a person for a period of at least five years should automatically be qualified as marriage provided none of the party is committed in another legal marriage'. The pastors submitted their views on the Marriage Bill, 2024 during a joint meeting of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development on Wednesday, 12 February 2025. The two committees are mandated to jointly process the Marriage Bill, 2024 moved by Tororo District Woman MP, Hon. Sarah Opendi and the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024 moved by Soroti District Woman MP, Hon, Anna Adeke. The pastors asked MPs to make stringent requirements for dissolution of marriage, citing instances of connivance and collusion by some couples for selfish intentions. They observed that the current law on marriage does not prescribe what constitutes irretrievable marriage and asked that clear grounds be spelled out in the new law. On their quest for the new law to allow rural and small Pentecostal churches to conduct weddings, MPs said the proposal would compromise the legality of marriages. 'If you want to kill the spirit of your sect, try to dilute it by giving authority to those church leaders at village and parish levels. You want to expand it but in the process you may fail to control those leaders,' said Hon. Charles Bakkabulindi (NRM, Workers' Representative). The national representative for Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Laura Kanushu questioned the legitimacy of upcountry churches which have no affiliation to the already established Pentecostal churches. 'There are many of those churches which do not subscribe to their headquarters. Are you saying that those churches which do not meet the legal requirements to solemnize marriage should be allowed?' Kanushu asked. Kanushu was concerned that Christian groups that have so far appeared before the committees, have varying views on principles guiding Christian marriage, saying it will be hard for the committee to defend their views while presenting the Bill to Parliament. 'We had thought that Christians will be on the same page, but we do not know who is interpreting the Bible correctly. At least women activist groups have similar views; we need to defend the Bill but it will be hard if we have different views from you,' said Kanushu. MPs were however, undecided on the pastors' request to have their leaders qualified as registrars of marriage as it is provided for the Bahai and Buddhist marriages. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
Zawya
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Uganda: Non-governmental Organizations (NGO) calls for criminalisaton of ‘sextortion'
Officials from the Development Network of Indigenous Associations (DENIVA) have called for prosecution of persons who publish or threaten to publish images, videos and other related materials of people engaged in sex. Appearing before a joint meeting of the Committees of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Gender, Labour and Social Development to present their views on the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024, the DENIVA Executive Director, Peter Magelah said people involved 'sextortion' for financial and other gains should face the law. 'Parliament should make a law to make 'sextortion' illegal. Any person involved in it commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 500 currency points or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or both,' Mugelah proposed. Magelah made the proposals on Tuesday, 11 February 2025 in a meeting that was chaired by Bugiri Municipality MP, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa. DENIVA also wants a similar punishment applied to persons guilty of recording, viewing and sharing of people's nudity without the consent of persons involved, saying the vice is on increase. 'In Uganda, this has become common especially during artistic performances where people record women's underwear and publish it online and in newspapers without their consent,' said Magelah. He called for amendment of the Bill and provide for the consent of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) prior to prosecution of incest. 'It is important to appreciate that such cases have a big impact on the family and could cause other social and psychological problems. Prosecution of such cases requires consent by the DPP so that such considerations are made at a higher level before the cases can go on,' Magelah said. Basalirwa said criminalising people guilty of viewing and or recording nudity of musicians performing on stage is unfair, noting that some female artistes should bear the blame as they are consistently almost undressed. 'One time I was watching an interview by Sheebah Kalungi, a local artiste who was asked how the public should expect her to dress up for a certain concert, she replied that 'I will definitely be naked'. I am therefore, uncomfortable with your proposal,' Basalirwa said. Erute South County MP, Hon. Jonathan Odur was equally discontent with the proposal to criminalise viewing of a person who chooses to appear in public almost naked. 'Why do you want to criminalise viewing? Why are you stretching the criminal net so wide?' Odur asked. The Sexual Offences Bill, 2024 was introduced by Soroti District Woman Representative, Hon Anna Adeke basing her justification on the scattered nature of sexual offences in different pieces of legislation. 'There is need to ensure the legislation responds to the evolving and current trends in sexual offences, curbs sexual violence and adopts international best practices in the prevention of sexual violence,' reads the Bill in part. Adeke argued that the bill will review and update the sexual offences contained in the Penal Code Act Cap. 128 in order to remedy the new forms of sexual violence and exploitation which are prevalent today, provide for enhanced punishment of sexual offenders, and create new offences to deal with new social vices that perpetuates sexual violence in Uganda. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
