KAMPALA – Ex-VP Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya has responded to his wife that after 16 years of them separating he has never lived a celibate.
The Ex- VP was responding to his wife’s divorce petition she filed before the High Court Family Division mid last month.
Dr. Margaret Bukenya filed for divorce accusing her husband Prof.Bukenya of adultery, which is the easiest route to divorce under the Ugandan law.
Dr Margaret has been married to Dr. Bukenya since Saturday, September 21, 1974, when they made their vows at St. Augustine Chapel, Makerere University, solemnised in accordance with the provision of the marriage church traditions and the legal implications.
The two, later went through the blissful stages of a happy marriage, living at Mulago and Mbale hospitals where they both worked as medical doctors.
Dr Margaret stated that the two have three children aged between 30-45 years, but however in the course of their marriage, Dr. Bukenya has deserted their family/matrimonial home, engaged in endless instances of adultery and infidelity which has subjected her to countless acts of emotional distress and abuse amounting to cruelty.
“I have been abandoned by the respondent (Dr. Bukenya) without any explanation whatsoever in a manner that can only amount to the dissertation,” Dr. Margaret deponed in her affidavit accompanying the petition.
However Prof Bukenya in his response through his lawyers of Rwakafunzi & Co. Advocates noted that he does not object to the dissolution of their marriage since they (him and his wife) both had a mutual agreement since 2003 to live separately.
“After the mutual agreement to stay separate I did not become celibate and I have never lived like one,” Prof Bukenya noted.
He also asked court to award his alimony to his wife since he had already surrendered some properties to her.
Prof Bukenya explained that his wife did not contribute anything to the purchase and development of the Land in Garuga Katomi as the same is a property of his friend Bill Bertrand who has had it for over 40years through his profession as a medical doctor thus his contribution and ownership is minimal.
According to his response, Prof Bukenya further states that his wife did not contribute anything to the purchase and development of the country home and farm on Busiro Block 233 plot 7 at Lwantama, Kakiri because this land belonged to his father since 1930 who bequeathed the same to him and his siblings who now occupy it.
The Ex-VP further states that jointly purchased developed the town plot and building in Kakiri currently rented out to post bank with the late Stella Njuba and it now supports her children.
However he admitted that his wife contributed to the development of their matrimonial home at plot 10 Muwafa Road, Ntinda between 1992 and 1993.
” We both mutually agreed that she keeps this property together with another property at plot 9 martyrs road, Ntinda which is a block of apartments where she collects rent,” Prof Bukenya asserts.
The Ex-VP also noted that his wife has commercial buildings in Gayaza town and other properties she shared from her parents among others.
” I am a retired pensioner who would also wish to have a share in my wife’s properties to which I contributed by virtue of spousal support, but will not burden my wife who is also a pensioner who needs the use of her properties,” Prof Bukenya asserts.
Adding..” In the same vain I should be left to enjoy the little income I get from a very small share in the Garuga Katomi property and the clinic in Kakiri where I do medical practice.”
He then asked court for each parties to bear it’s own costs in the case.
According to the court documents, Dr Margaret asserts that Dr Bukenya has not spent a night at the family/matrimonial home in Ntinda since July 2012 and before that, he had only visited briefly in October 2011 to attend Mass following his release from prison.
She listed 10 mistresses that led to breakage of her marriage after filing for divorce.
Through her lawyers of Ligomarc & Co. Advocates, Dr Margaret wants an order that she receives half the fair value of the property to which she has contributed as determined by a valuer appointed by this court.
She also wants to be awarded alimony commensurate to her station in life and that the respondent pays the costs of and incidental to the petition.
