The Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has backed the proposal of criminalizing cohabitation in Uganda, a move if adopted by Parliament would see couples in such arrangement serve a 3year jail sentence or pay a fine of Shs10M.
The Council’s opinion was made by Joseph Serwadda, Co-Chairperson, Inter Religious Council of Presidents, while appearing before the Joint Committee of Legal and Gender, to present the group’s Views on The Marriage Bill 2024, that was tabled by Sarah Opendi (Tororo DWR).
“While we push for criminalising of cohabitation under the Bill, we observe that there is need to offer adequate protection or rights or parties, Children and property acquired in cohabitation relations. Therefore, given the magnitude of the many relationships founded on cohabitation, the IRCU recommends that Government should enact an exclusive Bill separate from the Marriage Bill, 2024 regulating relationships between cohabiting persons,” Serwadda remarked.
In clause 89 of the Marriage Bill, Opendi proposed a fine of UGX10M or jail sentence of 3years to be imposed on people holding out as though married, where she went further to explain that holding out under the Bill means living together as husband and wife, acquiring or owing property jointly, bearing children together, and taking on the man’s surname by the woman.
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