Acidri demands part of Inzikuru's fortune for divorce

Mar 09, 2012

AFTER a three-hour closed door make-or-break meeting to patch up former World Steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru’s marriage to Bosco Acidri, nothing came to fruition.

By Alex Balimwikungu

AFTER a three-hour closed door make-or-break meeting to patch up former World Steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru’s marriage to Bosco Acidri, nothing came to fruition.

Instead, the warring couple was advised to divorce after it became clear they harboured ill feelings towards each other, which could easily culminate into one party hurting the other, should they continue to live as man and wife.

This follows an altercation between the couple that occurred on February 28, when Inzikuru mobilised a group of youth to remove 20 iron sheets from their marital home.

A well placed source, privy to proceedings in the meeting, tells New Vision Online that it was a very heated meeting where tears were shed and menacing demands made.

Bosco Acidri, who is customarily married to Dorcus Inzikuru, made some demands before he would agree to the divorce.

Since the couple has two homes; one next to the Arua Golf Course and the ravaged house at Komite, Acidri begged that he retains the vandalised house in the settlement.

Jinja LC V chairman Hannington Basakana  greets Commonwealth 3000m steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru as jinja mayor Muhammad Kezaala runs behind them January 1, 2010 By Norman Katende

He also argued that having been part of Dorcus Inzikuru’s formative years, in which he morally, spiritually and sometimes financially stood by her, especially as regards making certain financial decisions, he deserved a share of her financial cake in the settlement.

The accountant at Adumi health centre, who gave Inzikuru’s parents 12 cows, 10 goats and an assortment of other items in 2007, wasn’t keen on taking back his dowry and forgetting about his wife, as some elders suggested.

He was more interested in a conciliatory path admitting his misdemeanours that saw him father a child outside their marriage.

“He wasn’t keen on the divorce and actually believed he would patch up things with Dorcus, so they could live as man and wife once again. However, he met resistance from most elders who apportioned blame on him for the breakdown in the marriage,” the source said.

The source adds that although Inzikuru never said much; simply looking on with a blank stare as they deliberated, her resolve was clear.

When she spoke intermittently, her chest heaving all the while, she made them all aware of the fact that whereas it was true her daughter Emmanuela Munguci, 4, needed a father figure in her life, she doubted Acidri would ably play the role since he had taken on another family.

Some of the recommendations of the meeting were that Acidri cease to use the Honda CRV which Inzikuru bought for him, and devise other means of transport.

The house in Komite village was to be rented out with the proceeds going to cater for their daughter.

Acidri was advised to find alternative accommodation elsewhere as his pleas of forgiveness fell on deaf ears.

Customary marriage is still the most popular and common form of marriage in Uganda although customary marriages are only recognised by law if they are registered.

The Customary Marriage Registration Act requires that customary marriages be registered within six months of their occurrence before they are recognised.

A couple seeking a certificate must produce witnesses to the customary marriage, letters of parental consent and passport photographs.

Anthony Oyuku Ojok, Assistant Registrar at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, says many Ugandans opt for customary marriage, the reasons being that customary marriage is recognised across different cultures, it is cheap and its dissolution is negotiable.

Both parties are allowed to share in case of divorce. This process is updated in the Marriage and Divorce Bill that is currently before Parliament.

 

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