Five judges at the Constitutional Court led by Deputy Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo unanimously dismissed the petition which was filed by MIFUMI in 2010.

The women's rights advocacy non-governmental organisation argued in their petition that polygamy denied women the rights to equality in marriage and dignity - a violation of the Constitution of Uganda.

MIFUMI further argued that polygamy dispossesses women and children of land and property and also causes abandonment and neglect.

Read Also: Uganda Airlines suffers major financing setback

The court ruled that the petitioners failed to demonstrate the readiness to proceed with the matter after their lawyer requested for adjournment of the case.

“We realise that this matter was filed in 2010; any further adjournment would be [an] unnecessary delay. This petition is dismissed under Rule 2 of the Court of Appeal rules,” the deputy Chief Justice ruled.

Uganda has legal systems which recognise both monogamous and polygamous marriage. Polygamous marriages are often carried out in accordance with Islamic or customary law.