Former Tororo District Woman MP Sarah Opendi has accused the leadership of the 11th Parliament of deliberately frustrating the enactment of the Marriage Bill 2024, arguing that the failure to pass the legislation has delayed critical reforms aimed at addressing child marriage and streamlining Uganda's marriage laws.
Speaking at a national stakeholders' meeting on ending child marriage in Uganda, Opendi said Parliament's leadership declined to provide the financial support required by the joint committee handling the bill, making it impossible to conduct stakeholder consultations and benchmarking exercises necessary for processing the proposed law.
“The leadership of the 11th Parliament suppressed the enactment of this bill by refusing to support the committee financially to process the bill,” Opendi said.
According to her, the lack of funding contributed to the bill lapsing for a second time when the term of the 11th Parliament ended.
“The Marriage Bill 2024 for the second time elapsed with the 11th Parliament, necessitating the re-tabling of the new bill,” she said.
The proposed legislation seeks to consolidate and reform Uganda's marriage laws by replacing a number of separate statutes, some dating back to the colonial era, with a single legal framework governing marriage and related matters.
Opendi urged the leadership of the 12th Parliament to make the bill a legislative priority, arguing that it contains important safeguards against child marriage and exploitation.
“I want the new leadership of the 12th Parliament to prioritize this marriage bill as it will establish a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who arranges, attends or conducts a marriage involving a minor,” she said.
The proposal received support from Moses Ntenga, the Executive Director of Joy for Children Uganda, who said stronger legal sanctions could help deter child marriages and improve protection for vulnerable children.
In addition to provisions targeting child marriage, the bill proposes several other reforms intended to address longstanding legal and cultural disputes surrounding marriage and family relations.
Among its provisions, the bill seeks to prohibit DNA testing of children for paternity verification without a court order. It also proposes that newly married couples consummate their union within six months, failing which the marriage could be declared void under specified circumstances.
The legislation further seeks to provide legal guidance on the circumstances under which bride price, commonly referred to as dowry, may be refunded following the breakdown of a marriage.
According to Opendi, the reforms are intended to create certainty in areas that have long been governed by fragmented laws and varying customary practices.
Child marriage remains a significant challenge in Uganda despite efforts by government and civil society organizations to combat the practice. According to UNICEF, approximately 34 percent of girls in Uganda are married before the age of 18.
Participants at the stakeholders' meeting argued that passing a comprehensive marriage law would strengthen child protection measures while providing clearer legal guidelines on marriage, divorce, family rights and customary obligations.
The renewed push for the Marriage Bill is expected to spark debate in the 12th Parliament, where lawmakers will have to balance legal reform, cultural traditions and religious considerations as they consider one of Uganda's most closely watched pieces of social legislation.