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In the matter of an application for adoption by Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania (Adoption No. 37 of 2025)

High Court · [2025] UGHCFD 131 · 2025 Application Granted AI-generated summary ↓ Download Pin to watchlist Add to matter
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Type
First instance adoption application by non-Ugandan nationals seeking inter-country adoption order
Decision
Adoption order granted; petitioners appointed adoptive parents with full parental rights and responsibilities

Observed later treatment

No later-treatment classification is recorded for this judgment.

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AI-generated summary. This summary was generated by AI from the full text of the judgment. It may contain errors or omissions—always read the source judgment before relying on it.

Holding

The High Court granted an inter-country adoption order to South Sudanese nationals who had fostered an abandoned Ugandan child for over one year. The court held that all statutory requirements under the Children Act were satisfied, including the fostering period, age requirements, spousal consent, criminal clearance, financial capacity, and recommendation from the petitioners' country. The adoption was found to be in the best interests of the child, who had been abandoned in infancy with no traceable biological parents.

Outcome

Adoption order granted; petitioners appointed adoptive parents with full parental rights and responsibilities

Facts

Mulungi Mathew, a male child, was abandoned at approximately two years of age on 15 June 2021 at Kigwanya zone in Busega by an unknown person. He was found by Aisha Kusasira with a polythene bag containing clothes and a piece of paper with a telephone number that was off when called. The matter was reported to Nateete police station and the child was referred to Teresa Children's Home for care and protection. Extensive tracing efforts including newspaper adverts, radio announcements, and community notices failed to locate the child's biological parents or relatives. The petitioners, Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania, South Sudanese nationals married since 2009 and resident in Uganda since 2016, were approved by the National Alternative Care Panel and received the child for fostering on 13 June 2023 under a care order. They fostered the child for over one year under supervision of the Probation and Social Welfare Officer of Wakiso District, providing for his education, medical care, and all basic needs.

Issues

  1. Whether this court has the power to entertain this matter.
  2. Whether the petitioners qualify to adopt the child.
  3. Whether the petition is in the best interest of the child.

Orders

  • Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania are hereby appointed the adoptive parents of Mulungi Mathew.
  • Mulungi Mathew is hereby declared the adopted child of Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania and the relationship of parent and child is hereby established with all rights and privileges incidental thereto, including the right of inheritance.
  • The Registrar General of Births and Deaths is hereby directed to make an entry recording the particulars of this adoption in the adopted children's register and to issue a certificate to Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania reflecting the parental relationship hereby established.
  • The Petitioners, Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania, shall have exclusive care, custody, and control of Mulungi Mathew and shall be responsible for his education, maintenance, protection, and support.
  • The adoption order shall be furnished to the Consular Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • The costs of this petition shall be borne by the petitioner.

Rules and key headnotes

Adoption — Inter-country Adoption — Jurisdiction
The High Court has jurisdiction to entertain an application for an adoption order where the child or the applicant is not a citizen of Uganda.
Adoption — Inter-country Adoption — Statutory Requirements
A person who is not a citizen of Uganda may, in exceptional circumstances, adopt a Ugandan child if they have stayed in Uganda for at least one year, have fostered the child for at least one year under supervision of a Probation and Social Welfare Officer, have no criminal record, have a recommendation from their country's competent authority, and have satisfied the court that their country of origin will respect and recognize the adoption order.
Adoption — Parental Consent — Abandoned Children
Where a child has been abandoned and extensive tracing efforts including newspaper adverts, radio announcements, and community notices have failed to locate the biological parents or relatives, the requirement of parental consent may be dispensed with.
Adoption — Best Interests of the Child — Paramount Consideration
In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be of paramount consideration, and the welfare principle requires the court to have regard to the child's ascertainable wishes and feelings, physical and emotional needs, likely effects of any change in circumstances, any harm suffered or at risk of suffering, and the capacity of prospective parents to meet the child's needs.
Adoption — National Alternative Care Panel — Recommendation
Where the petitioner is non-Ugandan, the court must take into consideration the report of the Alternative Care Panel before granting any adoption order.

Legislation cited (21)

Cases cited (5)

  • In the matter of Dawn Pitman and Dustin Pitman (HCMA No. 0004 of 2008)
  • Hon. Chigamoy Owiny Dollo and In the matter of David Twesigye (an infant)
  • Ayat Joy v Genevieve Chenekan Obonyo & Anor (High Court Adoption Cause No. 52 of 2002)
  • Joyce Deborah Alitubeera (CACA No. 70 of 2011)
  • Richard Masaba (CA No. 81 of 2011)

Full judgment

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The original judgment as reported. Read the original PDF before relying on any passage.

In the matter of an application for adoption by Tamburo Micheal Renzi and Gloria Raphael Tamania (Adoption No. 37 of 2025) [2025] UGHCFD 131 (10 October 2025)
Source: this page presents Wakilii’s issue analysis and metadata for a publicly reported Ugandan judgment. Any AI-generated summary is marked as such. Judgment text is sourced from the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ulii.org). Wakilii is not affiliated with ULII.