In 2011, the institution introduced certificates that were only issued to girls who are above 18 years. Girls who are planning to get married would have to register first with the Kingdom’s cultural department.
The Obusinga
Bwa Rwenzururu-OBR Cultural Institution has renewed an earlier campaign to
introduce marriage certificates to curb early marriages in Kasese
District.
In 2011, the
institution introduced certificates that were only issued to girls who are
above 18 years. Girls who are planning to get married would have to
register first with the Kingdom’s cultural department.
The girl has
to fill in her date of birth and also present a genuine birth certificate to
the department before she is given consent to get married. The cultural
department will then write to the priest authorizing them to wed the couple.
However, the
campaign stalled under unclear circumstances, giving rise to cases of early
child marriages.
The OBR
Prime Minister Joseph Kule Muranga, says that many girls have dropped out of
school especially after the closure of schools during the Covid-19 lockdown
because they were married off by their parents.
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Muranga says
that the kingdom has tasked its cultural agents in the sub-counties and
villages to monitor all marriage ceremonies and report accordingly if any of
the partners is below the recognized age.
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Zainabu
Asiimwe, the Kasese District Senior Probation, and Social Welfare Officer say
the new campaign is timely as the district continues to register high cases of sexual abuse against underage children.
She explains
that in 2021 her office recorded over 6,000 girls who went for their first
antenatal visit and most of these were below the age of 17 years.
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Rev. Alice
Nabirwe of South Rwenzori Diocese says that the campaign will boost the church’s
campaign to end early child marriages. She however challenges parents to
take care of and guide their children.
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Sheikh Nasib
Musenene an Islam scholar says that some conservative cultural tendencies have
overtime given negative practices an opportunity to override within the
society.
He is pleased
that OBR has come out to denounce such tendencies.
