Indian court rules that divorced woman must never have sex with another man if she is to continue receiving financial support from her ex-husband

• Ruling was made by high court judge in Madras, on the east coast of India
• Reportedly said a woman having sex after divorce was virtually the same as adultery
• Human rights activists have already attacked the decree as ‘regressive’

An Indian court has ruled that a divorced woman can only continue receiving financial support from her ex-husband if she never has sex with another man.

A high court judge in Madras, on the east coast of India, said that a woman having sex after divorce was virtually the same as adultery, it has been reported.

Justice S Nagamuthu passed his judgment after a case in which a husband said his wife had been living a ‘wayward life’ while she retaliated by accusing him of ‘illicit intimacy’ with his own niece. Human rights activists have attacked the decree as ‘regressive’.

Despite stating that financial support was there to help divorcées, he added that women must also remain faithful to their former partners to merit being given the money.
The Times reports the judge as saying: ‘Even after a decree for divorce is granted, if the wife wants to retain her right to claim maintenance from her former husband, she is expected to continue to maintain the same discipline as she was expected to maintain during her marital ties.

‘Since the man carries the obligation to maintain his divorced wife, the woman also carries the obligation not to live in a relationship with another man.

‘If she commits a breach, she will suffer disqualification from claiming maintenance. If she wants to live in a relationship with another man, she may be entitled for maintenance from him and not from the former husband.’

The Times says activists have taken to social media to attack the decision with the South Asia branch of Human Rights Watch calling for the ruling to be overturned.

She said that such judgements from state courts can sometimes be voted down by India’s Supreme Court which takes a ‘more enlightened views’

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A Prisons officer chose to take his work frustration to his superior’s Facebook wall, drawing mixed criticism from his boss’ followers and a way forward response from the boss himself.

Writing on the Prisons Commissioner General Johnson Byabasaija’s wall, Walter Okot noted, “Sir my OC decided not to deploy me and when I went to him to ask why I am not deployed he had my door broken and all my things were taken to the store,” he writes.

Okot says that having been evicted from the prisons house, he had no accommodation and decided to pick his bag and go back home where he is currently living.

In a post written on 16 September, largely in shorthand, Walter further asked the Police chief whether the actions of the officer in charge tantamount to him being dismissed from the prisons force.

“I decided pick ma bag go home and right now am at home I need ur (sic) help sir. sh’d I say OC Bushenyi has dismiss (sic) me?” he asked.

Three days later, the Prisons boss was the first to respond saying Walter was obviously having issues and advised him to write to him through the right channels.

“Highly unlikely, you must be having issues. You better write about it to the CGP,” he said.

The commissioner’s drew comments from a wide range of his followers some in support of Okello and others blaming him for lack of decorum.

Ephraim Kasozi, a journalist with Daily Monitor chipped in in support of Walter saying he could have wanted his boss to get the information so quickly.

“I don’t see anything wrong with the media, unless you are trying to hide something. Actually your statement amounts to threatening violence,” he said in response to an earlier comment by RachealIchodu who warned the likes of Walter to “NEVER AND NEVER discuss such issues in the media.”

However, MrByabashaija supported Ichodu’s warning saying, “We have Superintendents of Prisons to handle such, it doesn’t help to go to the social media as he did but still we will have to follow the service doctrine.”

In a detailed exchange with the Commissioner’s followers, Okot revealed that he is suffering because of a disagreement with his superior in Bushenyi over a girlfriend and that many officers have deserted the service because of mistreatment.

“This year only 6 people deserted.an many are still following me how can u break some bodies house because of girlfriend? It was too much I had nowhere sleep,” he said.

Asked whether the Okot‘s case will not be swept under the carpet just because he has complained on face book, Byabashaija was quick to answer; “We have elaborate redress procedures. The case can never be swept under the carpet,”

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The High Court in Kenya has suspended the order by the Ministry of Education to close private schools in the country.

The ruling by Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi followed a petition by the Kenya Private Schools Association filed by lawyer Muturi Kamande, indicating that about 2 million of the pupils and students would be affected by the closure that was ordered on Friday last week.

In her ruling Justice Ngugi noted that private schools were not part of the strike.

The order to close the schools in the country followed three weeks of persistent non-teaching by the striking teachers, who got a reprieve from Supreme Court, ordering government to pay them a 60% increase in salary, something the government says is not sustainable.

Already, President Uhuru Kenyatta has weighed in on the matter, asking the teachers to reconsider their labour action, adding that government was seeking a solution to the labour dispute that has crippled the education system.

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Pope Francis will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, September 25.

According to reliable information, the Pope will also hold bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon and the new UNGA President, and also participate in town hall gathering with UN staff.

Earlier in the day the Pope will also visit the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

“The attendance and address of Pope Francis are guaranteed to make it a special one. This year’s assembly will also involve huge decisions for its members concerning sustainable development, climate change and much more,” the official website for the Papal visit indicates.

Since the formation of the 193-member country organization (UN) seventy years ago in 1945, four Popes have addressed the UNGA and these include Pope Paul VI in 1965, Pope John Paul II (twice); Pope Benedict XVI in 2008, with Pope Francis now going to address the UN on Friday.

Meanwhile, several roads will remain closed to traffic during the Pope’s stay in New York.

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Outspoken Kawempe division mayor, Mubarak Munyagwa has been given police bond this morning and is to report to police on Monday next week.

Munyagwa was arrested last week after police received information that he extorted 60 million shillings from a one Francis Kakumba in order to allegedly use his influence to secure him a job on the Kawempe Land Board, a deal which reportedly stalled after the payment.

“It is something we have picked interest in, we are going to weigh the sixty million and the spot on the job and evaluate,” Police spokesman Fred Enanga said while addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru today, shortly after announcing Munyagwa’s bond.

Mr Enanga pointed out that a number of witnesses among who are individuals who claim they played a mediation role and transporting the money  have recorded statements as police looks to gather more evidence on the case.

After his arrest, Munyagwa said that these were false allegations imposed on him by the government for being a big critic to its policies. He added that government has been implicating him in different cases in the past.

Munyagwa has been held at the Central Police Station in Kampala, while the case was filed at Kabalagala Police Station.

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The National Resistance Movement the highest decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee has failed to endorse President Yoweri Museveni’s son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo for the post of vice chairperson western, denying him a chance of serving the ruling party in that capacity, at least for now.

In a meeting yesterday, Justice Minister Major Gen. Severino Kahinda Otafiire stood down for his bush war colleague Maj. Gen.  Matayo Kyaligonza, in the process edging out Rwabwogo, who mid this year announced he wanted to contest for the post of NRM Vice President for Western Uganda.

Rwabwogo’s announcement stirred voices of dissent from some party adherents, with Gen. Kyaligonza and Luwero Distrcit NRM chairman Haji Abdul Nadduli, both openly criticizing the decision by the President’s son-in-law to vie for the post.

However, the youthful Rwabwogo was undeterred, saying he wanted to re-energise the NRM based on its ideology.

Meanwhile, Jeff Rwakanuma, another contender for the NRM western Uganda vice presidency lost out alongside another ‘Young Turk’ Hakim Lukenge, who was standing against NRM National Vice Chairman Al Hajji Moses Kigongo.

“He can’t march the stature of Kigongo,” Mike Mukula, the NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, told Eagle Online.

However, contacted for comment Lukenge said he stands another chance, only if the National Executive Committee reverses the decision.

And, asked about his candidature, Mukula said he was still in the race and that “the vote will sort out the boys from the men.”

In a related development Speaker Rebecca Kadaga was returned unopposed as the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson.

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Having spent three days of intense discussions, The Democratic Alliance will be announcing the coalition’s successful candidate next week on Monday.

“The four candidates had fruitful discussion at the retreat just themselves in a room. I believe Monday is the D day,” the TDA Spokesperson Wafula Oguttu posted on his official Facebook page, adding that they held a meeting of about 13 hours trying to find the TDA flag bearer.

The four candidates include former Vice President Professor Gilbert Bukenya, former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, FDC flag bearer Dr Besigye and Democratic Party President Norbert Mao.

The coalition’s summit was set to announce its flag bearer on Friday but disagreements emerged and FDC threatened to pull out of the TDA amid accusations that summit was ‘favouring’ former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.

The FDC reportedly questioned the way Mbabazi was nominated and the criteria used to gauge him as the strongest potential candidate.

Amid all the chaos, on Thursday some FDC youth stormed the summit meeting at Royal Suites in Bugolobi, forcing Dr Kizza Besigye out of the meeting.

However, on Friday Besigye rejoined the negotiations with discussions among the candidates themselves agreeing on a number of issues.

Meanwhile, Mbabazi has said he brings to the TDA some support and vote-winning skills acquired while he served as the NRM’s Secretary General.

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