Ronald Zibu a celebrated polygamous man is in tears after Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha of the Family Division of the High Court allowed his 5th wife to walk away with a big share in his multibillion empire.
In her judgement, Justice Komuhangi declared that Zibu’s known properties which include commercial residential properties situated in Kampala city and Wakiso district are all matrimonial properties and should be subjected to distribution after dissolution of their marriage.
The judge based her decision on the finding that the petitioner, Agness Nabanoba was the first wife to be customary married to Zibu in 2000.
She further stated that Nabanoba brought unchallenged evidence that she physically and emotionally participated in accumulating the said properties.
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The judge further established that even though customary marriage is allowed in Uganda, Zibu violated its laws by committing adultery and cruelty against his first wife.
Through her affidavit evidence, Nabanoba told Court that she got married to Zibu when they were both professed to the Anglican Christian faith and they got married owing to a “kiganda” customary wedding ceremony that was held in 2000 at Kitebere, Busujju in Mityana district.
Since then, the two have been staying together as husband and wife at Kawaala Zone Lubaga Division Kampala city and have three children aged 21, 20 and 12 by 2019 when she filed the divorce.
She accused the husband of involving in a series of extra marital affairs and cohabiting with a number of women which caused her emotional pain and anxiety.
However, in his defence, Zibu told Court that the misunderstandings in their marriage were caused by his change of religion from Anglican to being a born again Christian.
He further told Court that Nabanoba knew very well that he is a polygamous man and it is the reason why he only married her through a customary type of marriage.
He named his wives as Nabanoba, Jane Nasanga, Jane Namusoke Faith Nantambi and Moureen Atukunda but also disclosed that he has other children born of other women.
He told Court that in total, he has more than fourteen children who he loves with their mothers including Nabanoba. He denied the evidence she brought to Court to support her petition where she is accusing him of being harsh or cruel.
He pleaded with the presiding judge not to resolve their marriage but help to reconcile them because their differences are simple and can be resolved.
He also told Court that he never chased Nabanoba from their matrimonial home. He revealed how he was shocked to see her deserting him and shifting to one of their properties in Wakiso district.
He pleaded that if court decides to dissolve their marriage, she should not go away with a bigger percentage of his properties insisting that he single handedly worked to acquire them through his business of supplying banana.
He told Court that he accumulated his wealth through supplying banana to big hotels like Hotel Africana, Sanyu Babies Home and a number of others.
He also added that he runs a poultry business, even though the wife told Court that much of the money they used to accumulate the said properties was got from the poultry business which she was single handedly managing as her husband handled the banana business.
She told Court that she actively together with her three sons participated in laying bricks which were used to build commercial buildings and renovate those which they had bought in a poor state and couldn’t attract tenants.
“However, I believed the Petitioner’s testimony to be more credible because whereas the Respondent claimed that the Petitioner had no involvement in the said properties, Court notes that the Petitioner knew where the properties were. She also knew the devastated State in which the properties were in at the time of their acquisition,” the judge stated.
She added, “She gave unchallenged evidence that their sons, namely Kirumira, Kalule and Kabuye were involved in the digging out of the old cement before putting on terrazzo.”
The judge noted that Zibu also chose to marry other women and put them in the properties he had acquired without Nabanoba’s authorisation that is why he should accept to lose some of them.
In the conclusion, the judge distributed the properties with Zibu retaining the property at Kasubi Zone ll where his wife, Namusoke and her children reside.
Nabanoba retained the property in Kawaala Central which is currently under her exclusive and full control and Zibu retain property in Kawaala Zone which is currently under his exclusive and full control.
Zibu also retain a property in Ochieng Zone’ Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District where his wife Nantambi currently resides.
Nabanoba retain a property in Kisimbiri village in Wakiso Town Council which is currently under her exclusive and full control.
