In a twist of events, the upcoming royal wedding between the Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom, Gabula Nadiope IV, and Ms Jovia Mutesi, scheduled for this Saturday, November 18, 2023, at Christ’s Church Cathedral, Bugembe, in Jinja City, is facing uncertainty as allegations of bigamy cast a shadow over the joyous occasion.
The Church of Uganda, responsible for overseeing the ceremony, has stated that they have received a petition but no court injunction to halt the wedding. Mr. Adam Sadiiki, the Church of Uganda spokesperson, emphasized that they will proceed with the ceremony as planned until they receive legal guidance from their team.
“Kyabazinga is a Christian, and he has expressed his desire to be wedded in the Anglican Church, so our duty is to do what he has requested us to do,” Mr. Sadiiki explained in a telephone interview.
This controversy arose following two court injunction threats filed by Ms. Alison Anna Nadiope, who claims to be legally wedded to the monarch. Ms. Alison alleges that she and the Kyabazinga were married in December 2016, and he has not legally divorced her since. Bigamy, a criminal offense in the UK, is punishable by imprisonment for up to six months.
The latest court injunction threat, dated November 8, was addressed to the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and the Bishop of Busoga Diocese. It seeks to stop the royal wedding on the grounds that the Kyabazinga is legally married, alleging that a civil marriage took place in December 2016.
In response to these allegations, the Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, Dr. Joseph Muvawala, issued a statement denying the claims. He stated that the Kyabazinga has never been married to anyone under the known forms of marriage and has never fathered any children. Dr. Muvawala has instructed the Kingdom's lawyers to initiate civil and criminal proceedings against those spreading these allegations, asserting that they aim to tarnish the Kyabazinga’s reputation.
As the Church of Uganda awaits legal guidance, the royal wedding remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving the Busoga Kingdom and its subjects on edge as the controversy unfolds.
