Man sues Watoto church over his marriage rejection.

Mr Micheal Aboneka filed the petition on Wednesday stating that last month he booked for his wedding to be held at Watoto North Ntinda, one of the church’s celebrations centres but it was failed.

_He claims he was left stranded when stringent requirements were imposed on him by the church as a pre-condition to wed him and his companion on October 27.

_He said the church asked him to present a letter of consent (blessing) from the parents of the bride-to-be, a pastor’s endorsement of fitness for marriage, evidence of HIV status tested at one of the specified hospitals and a counselling report issued by the respective hospital.

_“Your petitioner has expressed interest to get married at the respondent’s church (Watoto Church) and made initial bookings with the respondent and is now in dilemma as his free will is constrained by the mandatory requirements that he insists that he has been asked to furnish before he can be wedded which he construes to be a violation of his fundamental human rights and acts that contravene the supreme law,” Mr Aboneka states in the affidavit in support of his petition.

_“I am essentially distressed because the mandatory requirement of the letter of blessing from the bride’s parents or guardians offends the right to free will and consent to marriage by the intending couples and is in contravention and inconsistent with Article 31 (1) & (3) of the Constitution,” the petition further reads.

_About the mandatory HIV testing at a specified hospital and a counselling report from the respective medical facility, Mr Aboneka argues this requirement violates his right to privacy and is in contravention of Article 27 (2) of the Constitution.

_He further states that the requirement for a letter of consent from parents of the bride-to-be and not from the parents of the groom-to-be, is discriminatory and undermines the dignity, welfare, interest and status of women contrary to Article 33 (4), 6 of the Constitution. “…This undermines the purpose of marriage which is sacrosanct as intending couples are coerced to comply with the above requirements that do not have a law standing,” the petition avers.

_I further believe that the mandatory requirements are not founded in any law as they are a mere innovation by the respondent and are therefore inconsistent with the Constitution which establishes the legal requirements for any form of marriage in Uganda,” he further states.

_Mr Aboneka has also filed an application before the same court seeking a temporary injunction stopping the Church from conducting any wedding using the same requirements until his petition has been disposed of.”