Abubaker Kirunda
9 September 2008
Jinja — Uganda Law Reform Commission has eliminated a clause from the Domestic Relations Bill in offing, that was to make it a mandate for families to refund dowry incase the couples separate or divorced.
This was resolved by High Court judges and Legislators on the Legal Parliamentary Committee during a two-day retreat on the Domestic Relations Bill (DRB), Administration of Muslim Personal Law and the Domestic Violence Bills held in Jinja last week.
The event was aimed at evaluating the views collected by the Commission from different stakeholders who were opposed to the Bill there by leading to its halt.
The participants argued that dowry refund was subjecting the women to mistreatment by their spouses because their parents could not allow them to go back home for fear of repaying the property they already used.
"In my area of north-eastern Uganda, women are suffering a lot as a result of dowry refund," MP Beatrice Lagada said. "For us one needs to pay many cows before taking someone's daughter and however much the husband punishes you, the father cannot allow you to come back because he ate all the animals."
The participants also resolved to change the Bill name from Domestic Relations to Marriage and Family Bill. They further included a section that prohibits any formerly married couple to divorce before the expiry of two years in marriage.
Ms Nkonge Alexandra, the acting Secretary of the Law Reform Commission said the revised views would be taken to Cabinet and Parliament for approval.
Deputy Chief Justice Laetitia Mukasa Kikonyogo appealed to Parliament to consider the revised Bill for quick approval saying issues relating to family are very crucial.
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