Pastors Push for Legal Recognition of Cohabiting Couples as Married

Kampala, February 13, 2025 – A group of Pentecostal pastors in Kampala is advocating for cohabiting couples to be legally recognized as married under the proposed Marriage Bill, 2024.

Speaking before a joint session of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Committee on Gender, Labour, and Social Development, the pastors, under the National Pastors Platform of Kampala, argued that such a provision would protect women and children from abandonment and financial instability caused by men who delay or avoid formal marriage.

The pastors, led by their chairperson Bishop David Kiganda, proposed that any couple living together for at least five years should be automatically considered legally married—provided neither partner is already in a legally recognized marriage.

“Cohabitation weakens the sanctity of marriage, and many people use it as an excuse to avoid commitment. As a result, many women and children suffer when relationships end abruptly,” Bishop Kiganda stated.

In addition to advocating for the recognition of cohabitation, the pastors called for stricter regulations on divorce. They pointed out that the current law does not clearly define "irretrievable breakdown of marriage", which leads to exploitation and abuse of the system. They urged Parliament to establish clear grounds for divorce to prevent manipulative separations driven by personal gain.

The pastors also requested that rural and small Pentecostal churches be granted the legal authority to conduct marriage ceremonies. However, MPs expressed concerns, warning that such a move could compromise the integrity of marriages due to a lack of regulatory oversight.

Hon. Charles Bakkabulindi, the Workers’ Representative (NRM), cautioned against the proposal, saying:

“If you want to kill the spirit of your sect, try to dilute it by giving authority to church leaders at the village and parish levels. You may expand the system, but in the process, you could lose control over it.”

The Marriage Bill, 2024, moved by Hon. Sarah Opendi (Tororo District Woman MP), and the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024, sponsored by Hon. Anna Adeke (Soroti District Woman MP), are currently under parliamentary review. The two committees are expected to consider the pastors’ proposals as they continue deliberations on these crucial legislative changes.

If adopted, the recognition of long-term cohabitation as legal marriage could mark a significant shift in Uganda’s marriage laws, reshaping the legal framework surrounding relationships, family rights, and marriage dissolution.

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