Jinja Woman Admits She Married for Shelter, Not Love – Court Grants Divorce

The High Court in Jinja, Uganda, has dissolved a 14-year marriage after the wife, Claudine Uwineza, told the court she never loved her husband and had entered the union solely for shelter and basic needs.

Delivering his ruling on 14 July 2025, Justice Lawrence Gidudu officially ended the marriage between Kawongolo Kataswa and Uwineza, which had been under strain for several years.

Court documents show the couple wed on 14 May 2011 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Jinja and had three children—Jeremiah (13), Nehemiah (11), and Shelemiah (9).

The marriage reportedly began to deteriorate in December 2018, when Uwineza left the matrimonial home. Kawongolo filed for divorce in 2022, citing desertion and adultery.

During the proceedings, Uwineza admitted to both allegations and revealed she had only remained in the marriage for survival. She further told the court she had a child with another man while still legally married.

Justice Gidudu granted a decree nisi, formally dissolving the marriage. Custody of the children was awarded to the father, with visitation rights granted to the mother during school holidays—on condition that she is not cohabiting with another man at the time.

The court declined to order spousal maintenance, noting that Kawongolo had pledged to continue supporting the children. No legal costs were awarded, with the judge noting the sensitive nature of the case.

Uwineza, who said she currently survives by selling vegetables and charcoal, acknowledged her economic difficulties but these did not influence the court’s decision.

In his ruling, Justice Gidudu underlined the importance of integrity in marriage and reaffirmed the court’s commitment to protecting the welfare of children in divorce cases.

The case has drawn attention on social media, where it has sparked debate around the motivations for marriage, particularly in situations where financial security may be a factor.