{UAH} So, a whole Deputy Speaker was partaking of the housemaid, huh...!
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Oulanyah marriage over but money still an issue
At the end of it all, it was an easy decision for the family division of the High court to annul the marriage of deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah and Winnie Amoo.
The couple wedded on January 19, 2013 in a colorful ceremony presided over by Archbishop Stanley Ntagali at All Saints cathedral in Kampala. The reception was attended by President Museveni, among other dignitaries. But after being blessed with two children, the marriage went downhill until both parties decided to divorce.
On June 17, 2016, High court judge Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya cancelled the marriage after both parties agreed that it was "beyond repair." On Wednesday, September 7, the family division of the High court rubber-stamped this decision, opening the way for difficult talks on how to maintain the two children.
"It was so quick because both parties agreed to dissolve the marriage," said Jonny Barenzi, Amoo's lawyer.
Oulanyah filed for divorce on July 22, 2015, two years and nine months after the wedding, on grounds that Amoo was subjecting him to cruelty and causing him emotional distress.
Through Lex Uganda Advocates and Solicitors, Oulanyah accused Amoo of denying him conjugal rights because she stayed in the USA even after their marriage.
Oulanyah, who is also the Omoro MP, further accused his estranged wife of being reluctant to live in Uganda. He said he was spending too much money running two homes; one in Kampala and another in San Diego, California.
COUNTER CLAIM
Amoo, in her counter claim, asked court to dissolve the marriage because Oulanyah was consistently mistreating her. She accused Oulanyah of sleeping with their housemaid, Jennifer Amoding. She said her stay in the US had been amicably agreed on by both sides.
"We agreed that I complete my studies at the College of St Scholastica and also enable our children to take advantage of studying for free in the US," she said.
She also accused the deputy speaker of being too attached to his late wife Dorothy Nangwale, to the point of forcing her to wear the latter's clothes. Justice Rugadya granted Amoo's prayer to have sole custody of the couple's two children; Karlynn Attwon Oulanyah and Kimberly Abalo Oulanyah.
"That the petitioner/cross respondent [Jacob Oulanyah] shall, at his expense, have visitation rights to the children," Justice Rugadya ruled.
But the two parties are deadlocked on how much money Oulanyah should pay for the maintenance of the two children. Oulanyah proposes remitting Shs 2 million per month for both children while Amoo is demanding $4,000 (Shs 13,600,000) to be paid strictly in dollars.
But certified pay slips Oulanyah presented in court show that as MP, he earns a net pay of Shs 11,290,800 per month. Oulanyah also says he has a mortgage with Barclays bank. He also presented an invoice from Heritage International School where his other three children from the previous marriage are studying at $16,243.
According to Richard Latigo, Oulanyah's lawyer, Amoo herself knows that Oulanyah had challenges paying school fees for the three children from the previous marriage, which is why she decided to take her children to study in the US free of charge.
Although the Uganda government offers free education at primary and secondary level, well-to-do Ugandans such as Oulanyah do not consider it an option. Latigo said Amoo has so far refused to disclose how much she earns per month from her job in the US.
Latigo also cited the divorce case of Anne Musisi Vs Herbert Musisi in which the High court held that the duty to maintain a child is complementary and no party has a superior right over it.
"On this issue (maintenance of the children), we, therefore, pray that court orders that the petitioner pays a monthly maintenance of UGX 1,000,000 (Uganda shillings one million) for each of his biological children in custody of the respondent and the payment should start from the month the judgment is delivered," Latigo wrote.
Amoo's lawyers are expected to respond to these submissions on September 10.
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