Church clears Kyabazinga wedding amidst court injunction threats

The Church of Uganda has cleared the forthcoming royal wedding of Busoga King (kyabazinga) Gabula Nadiope IV and Jovia Mutesi, scheduled for November 18 at Christ’s Church Cathedral, Bugembe, in Jinja City.

Church of Uganda spokesperson Adam Sadiiki has said “they will go ahead to conduct the wedding because they have not yet received any court injunction stopping them.”

“What we received was just a petition. Kyabazinga is a Christian and he has expressed his desire to be wedded in the Anglican Church. Our duty is to do what he has requested us to do,” Sadiiki told Monitor in a Tuesday telephone interview.

However, he explained that their legal team is assessing the situation and to advise accordingly.

“We are waiting for our legal team to finish the process they are working on, then our actions will be guided by the guidance they will give,” Sadiiki noted.

The Church’s latest pronouncement comes after the royal wedding was plunged into uncertainty by two court injunctions as complainant Alison Anna Nadiope alleged to have been legally wedded to the monarch.

Through her lawyers from the United Kingdom (UK)-based law firm, Anne Cuthbert Solicitors Limited, Alison first dragged the Kyabazinga to court in the UK where the alleged civil marriage took place.

In her suit, Alison informed Busoga Kingdom head of clans and clans that the two got married in December 2016, and since then, the Kyabazinga has not divorced her, adding that “once he enters into another marriage, he will be committing bigamy.”

Bigamy is punishable under the UK law and carries imprisonment for up to six months.

A new November 8 court injunction, signed by Mugerwa and Partners Advocates and Solicitors on behalf of Alison, was addressed to the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and Bishop of Busoga Diocese seeking to block the church ceremony.

The letter seeks to stop the royal wedding on grounds that the Kyabazinga is legally married, having allegedly celebrated a civil marriage in December 2016 at Milldam House Bunbaby Road, Portsmouth PO13AF under marriage certificate AK5947291.

The letter further states that the aforementioned marriage culminated with the couple siring two children named Mitchell Muyisa and Josephine Katali.

The petition adds: “This serves to notify the church of our client’s objection and request that the honorable Church of Uganda does not proceed to wed the Kyabazinga with Mutesi during the subsistence of our client’s marriage as the same would amount to bigamy and contrary to church canons.”

But Busoga Kingdom prime minister Dr Joseph Muvawala, has since issued a statement, saying the Kyabazinga has never been married to anyone under the known forms of marriage and has never sired any children.

Dr Muvawala has also instructed the kingdom lawyers to commence civil and criminal proceedings against all persons involved in making such utterances and circulating them on social media, saying they are intended to tarnish the Kyabazinga’s personality.

About kyabazinga

Kyabazinga Nadiope IV, who was born on November 1, 1988, lost both parents, starting with the father Wilson Gabula Nadiope II, who was once a Minister of Tourism in 1991 and later the mother Josephine Nadiope in 1993.

The Kyabazinga (Nadiope IV), who was at such a tender age at the time, was eventually raised in Jinja by his maternal grandmother.

His paternal grandfather, William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope III, ruled as Kyabazinga between 1949 and 1955, and from 1962 to 1966. 

Nadiope III was also the First Vice President of Uganda from 1962 to 1966. 

Since 1939, Busoga has had four queens, with Ms Mutesi destined to become the fifth. 
Previous queens include Yunia Nakibande, Susan Nansikombi Kaggwa, Yuliya Babirye Kadhumbula Nadiope, and Alice Florence Violet Muloki.

About the Queen 
Born in St Matia Mulumba Zone, Mayuge Town Council, Mayuge District, Mutesi was announced as the Inhebantu of Busoga on September 7 at the kingdom headquarters in Bugembe, Jinja City.

The announcement followed a private traditional ceremony at which Kyabazinga Nadiope IV paid a visit to her parents’ ancestral home in Mayuge District.

Her father, Bayoole, is the Bulambuli Resident District Commissioner and belongs to the Baise-Mugosa clan.

Before joining the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in 2015, Bayoole was a top Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official in Busoga Sub-region, and presided over Mayuge Town Council as the Mayor prior to his defeat in 2011.

Mutesi studied at Mt St Mary’s College, Namagunga, before joining Makerere University where she acquired a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics.

The Busoga Kingdom Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muvawala, has previously stated that details of the Queen will officially be disclosed during the upcoming Busoga Lukiiko, which will precede the royal wedding.