Ugandan man awarded Sh.10M after girlfriend refused to marry him

A Ugandan court has awarded a man Ksh.336,000 (USh.10.4 million) in a case he filed against his girlfriend for breaching a marriage promise.

Richard Tumwine said he fell in love with Fortunate Kyarikunda in 2015 while teaching at a primary school in the western region of Kanungu, where Kyarikunda was doing her teaching practice.

The heartbroken man said he wanted his fiancée to complete her studies before tying the knot, and therefore entered a ‘promise to marry’ agreement with her in 2018.  

He narrated how when Kyarikunda, whom he called his first love, enrolled for a law diploma at a Kampala college, she asked him to pay all fees of USh.9.43 million (Ksh.317, 121), to which he agreed.

“I wanted her to complete her studies so that I can marry a well-educated wife that will not be dependent on me,” Tumwine was quoted by The Monitor.

The couple’s introduction marriage ceremony was set to take place in February of 2022, until Kyarikunda, now a law enforcement officer, opted out of the agreement, citing Tumwine’s age.

“When she disappointed me, I did not take the law in my hands because I knew the repercussions,” Tumwine said.

Instead, the teacher said he opted for a mediation process with Kyarikunda’s grandfather, as well as “local leaders, the police, relatives and friends... but no positive result was attained.”

“I was advised by my friends to file a civil case in the Kanungu chief magistrate’s court which I did on July 1... and the case was registered as No.24 of 2022. I was happy when the court last week ruled in my favour,” Tumwine told the publication.

The court last week ordered Kyarikunda to refund the Ush.9.43 million Tumwine spent on her tuition, and an additional USh.1 million as general damages for inconveniences and psychological anguish.

He said he has since begun prayers for God to give him “a suitable and well-educated woman that I can marry.”

Tumwine also said the costs awarded to him will go towards sprucing up his house as he prepares for the next chapter of his life.