Women’s rights activists are demanding that polygamy be discouraged in the in the Marriage Bill, 2024.

The activists while appearing before the joint parliamentary committees on legal and gender proposed that monogamy instead be promoted.

However, they suggested that if polyandry (where a woman marries multiple men) be considered, if polygamy is legalized then strict conditions must be attached to it.

Led by Rose Wakikona, the Deputy Executive Director of the Women’s Probono Initiative, the activists argued that polygamy fuels gender inequality and puts women and children at a disadvantage.

“Polygamy has been linked to violations of women’s and children’s rights. If it must exist, let’s have clear regulations wives must consent, men must prove financial capability, and each wife must have a separate residence,” Wakikona stated.

Wakikona told the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee that societies evolve, and just like trousers for women were once unacceptable, polyandry could become normal in the future.

“Maybe in 10 years, women will be allowed to marry more than one man,” she boldly declared, leaving MPs in disbelief.

But that wasn’t all. The activists also proposed that men should have the option to take their wives’ names as family names, a suggestion that had some MPs nearly falling off their chairs.

The group asked MPs take note of clauses within the Bill that may imply gender inequalities, like defining polygamy to mean that its only a man who marries more than one wife.

They proposed that the Bill should broadly define polygamy to include ‘polygyny’ where a man is married to two or more women and ‘polyandry’ where a woman is married to two or more men.

Wakikona told the seemingly surprised MPs that societies change so much that issues such as polyandry which is still strange in Africa, might be the norm in the near future.

Hon. Joy Waako (NRM, Older Persons’ Representative) dismissed the idea of men taking on their wives’ names.

“If you think you are the breadwinner and now want your husband to take your name, that is very wrong” she said

Bududa Woman MP Hon. Agnes Nandutu warned that radical proposals like polyandry could stall the Bill.

“This Bill has been shelved many times. Bringing in the idea of women marrying multiple men is culturally unacceptable.” she said

Kibaale Woman MP Hon. Noeline Kisembo echoed the sentiment: “Let’s be realistic. Ugandan society is not ready for such ideas. This will create confusion”

The activists also called for an end to criminalizing cohabitation and demanded that parental consent for Christian marriages be scrapped.

Meanwhile, Hon. John Teira (Deputy Chairperson, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee) noted a double standard.

“Some people are in monogamous marriages but are secretly running cohabitation centers.” he stated