Drama at Soroti MP Alice Alaso wedding
Dec 31, 2007
DRAMA ensued at the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso on Saturday as the groom’s first wife, Christine Ikiria, stormed the venue to stop the function.<br>Alaso is also the secretary general of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.
By John Omoding in Soroti
DRAMA ensued at the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso on Saturday as the groom’s first wife, Christine Ikiria, stormed the venue to stop the function.
Alaso is also the secretary general of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.
Ikiria and Bishop Charles Bernard Obaikol engaged in a heated verbal exchange as the prelate insisted on wedding the couple at Idupa Primary School.
The bishop said though Ikiria and Johnson Ebaju wedded in church, they were divorced in the courts of law, so the second wedding would follow the Ugandan law.
Ikiria had beaten the tight security at the venue to get a seat among the guests. As the bishop gave reasons why he had allowed Ebaju to wed again in Church, Ikiria raised her hand and stormed the altar, shouting and demanding that the two should not be wed.
The security and the organisers tried in vain to restrain Ikiria for about 30 minutes.
“Please Bishop, listen to me. I have something to say. This wedding should not be allowed to proceed because biblically Ebaju cannot wed the second time in Church, when I, the first wife he wedded in Church, am still alive. He can only wed again after I die,†Ikiria said.
“The Bible clearly states that those, whom the Lord has joined together, let no man separate. Though court granted Ebaju to divorce me and he may be free to marry as many women as he may wish, there is no way the Church can allow him to wed for the second time,†Ikiria argued.
Bishop Obaikol brushed her aside and said: “Yes, you are quoting the Bible, but we are following the laws of Uganda and a court decree that dissolved your marriage.
“We shall proceed with the wedding in respect of the law and if anybody has to stop this wedding, then he/she should produce a court injunction.
“Otherwise, we are not ready to listen and take any pleas at this material moment.â€
“Ikiria herself knows that she was the first to take the matter to court and consequently divorce was granted before the courts of law,†the bishop explained.
He said the court, on April 23, 2007, issued the first order on divorce and allowed six months for the unsatisfied party to challenge it before the final divorce order was given on October 24, 2007.
He said Ikiria’s lawyer asked Ebaju to give his client sh4m as a send-off package, which he did.
The bishop said there was an option of consulting the Canon law, which gives room for one to wed again in Church, if he or she did not petition for divorce or cause the breakdown of the marriage.
In the ensuing chaos, the FDC party bigwigs clashed with plainclothes Police, demanding to know why they had allowed Ikiria in.
“Why did you allow this fool to come and confuse this wedding?†the party’s publicity secretary, Sarah Eperu, asked, to which one policeman responded: “You woman, leave this lady alone. She is free to come here because this is a public function.â€
“No, no, this fool cannot be allowed to continue causing embarrassment. Throw her out quickly,†Eperu shot back as she charged at Ikiria and grabbed her by the hand.
The Policeman ordered Eperu to release Ikiria and leave the place in “five seconds. I am giving you five seconds to leave her alone and disappear before me.
“Mark you, we are here to ensure law and order but not to take orders from any person,†the policeman warned Eperu, who backed down and slowly moved back to her seat.
Just as the ceremony resumed, a knife-wielding woman clad in tattered clothes charged into the wedding venue.
She headed for the tent where Alaso and her groom were, throwing people into panic.
The woman, said to be mentally disturbed, ran past the bridal tent and headed to the VIP tent but charged passed it and disappeared.
But as Alaso and Ebaju had just finished exchanging marital vows, a strong wind swept down one of the 16 tents as guests scampered to safety.
Earlier, the bridal entourage had to wait for hours nearby as the tents were still being erected and the venue decorated.
DRAMA ensued at the wedding of Soroti Woman MP Alice Alaso on Saturday as the groom’s first wife, Christine Ikiria, stormed the venue to stop the function.
Alaso is also the secretary general of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.
Ikiria and Bishop Charles Bernard Obaikol engaged in a heated verbal exchange as the prelate insisted on wedding the couple at Idupa Primary School.
The bishop said though Ikiria and Johnson Ebaju wedded in church, they were divorced in the courts of law, so the second wedding would follow the Ugandan law.
Ikiria had beaten the tight security at the venue to get a seat among the guests. As the bishop gave reasons why he had allowed Ebaju to wed again in Church, Ikiria raised her hand and stormed the altar, shouting and demanding that the two should not be wed.
The security and the organisers tried in vain to restrain Ikiria for about 30 minutes.
“Please Bishop, listen to me. I have something to say. This wedding should not be allowed to proceed because biblically Ebaju cannot wed the second time in Church, when I, the first wife he wedded in Church, am still alive. He can only wed again after I die,†Ikiria said.
“The Bible clearly states that those, whom the Lord has joined together, let no man separate. Though court granted Ebaju to divorce me and he may be free to marry as many women as he may wish, there is no way the Church can allow him to wed for the second time,†Ikiria argued.
Bishop Obaikol brushed her aside and said: “Yes, you are quoting the Bible, but we are following the laws of Uganda and a court decree that dissolved your marriage.
“We shall proceed with the wedding in respect of the law and if anybody has to stop this wedding, then he/she should produce a court injunction.
“Otherwise, we are not ready to listen and take any pleas at this material moment.â€
“Ikiria herself knows that she was the first to take the matter to court and consequently divorce was granted before the courts of law,†the bishop explained.
He said the court, on April 23, 2007, issued the first order on divorce and allowed six months for the unsatisfied party to challenge it before the final divorce order was given on October 24, 2007.
He said Ikiria’s lawyer asked Ebaju to give his client sh4m as a send-off package, which he did.
The bishop said there was an option of consulting the Canon law, which gives room for one to wed again in Church, if he or she did not petition for divorce or cause the breakdown of the marriage.
In the ensuing chaos, the FDC party bigwigs clashed with plainclothes Police, demanding to know why they had allowed Ikiria in.
“Why did you allow this fool to come and confuse this wedding?†the party’s publicity secretary, Sarah Eperu, asked, to which one policeman responded: “You woman, leave this lady alone. She is free to come here because this is a public function.â€
“No, no, this fool cannot be allowed to continue causing embarrassment. Throw her out quickly,†Eperu shot back as she charged at Ikiria and grabbed her by the hand.
The Policeman ordered Eperu to release Ikiria and leave the place in “five seconds. I am giving you five seconds to leave her alone and disappear before me.
“Mark you, we are here to ensure law and order but not to take orders from any person,†the policeman warned Eperu, who backed down and slowly moved back to her seat.
Just as the ceremony resumed, a knife-wielding woman clad in tattered clothes charged into the wedding venue.
She headed for the tent where Alaso and her groom were, throwing people into panic.
The woman, said to be mentally disturbed, ran past the bridal tent and headed to the VIP tent but charged passed it and disappeared.
But as Alaso and Ebaju had just finished exchanging marital vows, a strong wind swept down one of the 16 tents as guests scampered to safety.
Earlier, the bridal entourage had to wait for hours nearby as the tents were still being erected and the venue decorated.