By Andrew Irumba
Kajjansi: Teddy Naluswa, the embattled wife of renowned city pastor Aloysious Bugingo, of House of Prayer Ministries church, is spitting venom after court passed it’s ruling in the child neglect case she filed against the Pastor.
Magistrate Christine Nantege of Kajjansi Magistrates court stated in her ruling delivered on Thursday that Bugingo is mandated by law to cater and provide support for only one child, Isaac Bugingo, who is five years old and a nursery pupil.
Court ruled that the rest of the children are adults aged 18 years and above, who are considered by law as fit to cater for themselves and that if he decided to cater for them he would do so on a personal or voluntary basis.
It should be noted that the case was at first heard by Magistrate Mary Babirye, who however later pulled out before it was transferred to Nantege.
Naluswa dragged Bugingo to court a few months back, accusing him of child neglect and refusal to provide support, including school fees, to their children.
She alleged that Bugingo had refused to pay tuition for their daughters to wit Winnie Bugingo and Jennifer Bugingo, who are university students.
Prior to filing the child support case, Naluswa had earlier on filed a divorce suit in the same court, which is however yet to be disposed of.
However, shortly after the ruling which obviously did not amuse her, Naluswa, who was at the verge of tears, told the press that; “I have no other option apart from leaving all my matters and problems to God. Only Him will help me get justice. It’s only God who gives justice to the poor!
She added that; “I thought every man, including Bugingo, has responsibility to pay school fees for his children even if they are above 18 years old. I wonder how court could make such a ruling! How can court deny my children their right to getting school fees from their father just because they are above 18 years?”
She went on to reveal that Bugingo met the minister for youth and children Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, before whom he pledged to pay tuition for their two daughters until they graduate, but that court has since watered down that pledge.
Naluswa noted that “Our daughter Winnie studies abroad and is in her second year at University. How will she complete her studies when the father refuses to pay tuition for her? Currently she is at home seated. She returned for holidays and to get tuition but now she is stranded at home. Our other daughter Jennifer studies at a university in Uganda and is in her first year; but she is also seated at home because I don’t have money to pay for her school fees. We had all hopes in court but it has greatly disappointed us. Now only God can come to our rescue.”
She lamented on that; “I regret the years I spent in marriage with Bugingo as we worked for wealth and property that would help our children in future! Now all that wealth is not helping us because even the money that comes out of it can’t be used to pay school fees for our children.”
All the above notwithstanding, Bugingo also filed a divorce case against Naluswa, in which he prays to court to anull their marriage such that he can get legally wed with his Side-dish Suzan Makula Nataba.
