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KAMPALA
Hardly a year into their marriage, former president Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa has parted ways with his Japanese 'wife' Tomoko Yamamoto.
In a statutory declaration dated July 22, Binaisa asked Yamamoto to vacate his premises on William Kalema Drive, Muyenga "and henceforth cease to use my surname of Binaisa."
"I no longer wish to discuss the matter or remain in the said relationship due to irreconcilable differences, particularly the fact I am being unduly influenced, cajoled and /or coerced to convert to the Reverend Moon's Unification Church contrary to our earlier understanding that I will not change my faith, the statutory declaration a copy of which Daily monitor has seen, read in part.
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| SO NEAR YET SO FAR: Binaisa and Yamamoto in the heat of the relation. File Photo |
The 85-year-old Binaisa exchanged vows with Ms Yamamoto by satellite link on July 26, 2004 in front of followers of the Unification Church, also known as Moonies and later hosted guests to a lavish reception at Speke Resort Munyonyo on December 16, 2004.
Binaisa confirmed the separation with Yamamoto yesterday from his house in Makindye, a Kampala suburb. "Yeah [we are separated]. It was mainly because of religion," he said.
Binaisa has since Sunday been staying at his Makindye house. He left the Muyenga house, where he had stayed since his return from exile, to Yamamoto.
"I was tired of constant bickering about religious faith. I had to leave," said a relaxed Binaisa clad in khaki trousers, a green shirt and white trainers. "She is there with the house keeper."
Asked what drove the last nail into their separation, Binaisa replied, "I am not prepared to change my faith for anything else and this she agreed to when we discussed it in Columbus, Ohio before three witnesses. But later when we returned, she began coercing me to join the unification church and I refused."
"It went beyond persuasion to coercion which I rejected constantly," a visibly disappointed Binaisa said.
According to the declaration, which Yamamoto signed upon receipt, Binaisa paid her $30,000 (about Sh53 million) in cash as a final settlement 'to facilitate her transport and resettlement costs from Kampala, Uganda (one way) to Columbus, Ohio, United states of America.
"Save for what I have offered in cash I will not have any further obligations towards Tomoko Yamamoto," wrote Binaisa in the declaration.
The former president said he left the Muyenga house on Sunday when Yamamoto was out visiting 'someone'. "I was not deliberate [to leave in her absence] but she just happened to be away," he said. "There were signs that I was going to leave."
Binaisa said the couple had been invited to attend a conference of the Moonies in South Korea this weekend but he declined to go. "That [his decision not to go] set the ball rolling," he said.
Binaisa, 85, was born to a priest in the Anglican Church who served it for 80 years and his mother was an evangelist too. "I have nothing against the Unification Church," said Binaisa, "but I am too old to change, I don't even think my maker would be pleased."
Binaisa said he has twice attended services of the Unification Church in Kampala at No. 5 Sezibwa Road near Shanghai restaurant.
Yamamoto, who Binaisa describes as a very staunch believer in the Unification Church, worked for Reverend Moon for 21 years.
Sources told Daily Monitor that Yamamoto was due to leave for South Korea to attend the international conference. Asked if he thinks she will return after the conference Binaisa replied, "I don't think so".
When Daily Monitor visited the Muyenga residence, Yamamoto was reportedly inside the house. An unidentified man stopped the reporter from accessing her. "Because of the situation around, she cannot talk to anyone else except mzee (Binaisa)," he said.
"It is in the best interest of all the parties concerned that she does not talk to anyone," he added. "I am afraid you will not be allowed to see her."
Another man who opened the gate for Daily Monitor had said Yamamoto was sick and Binaisa was missing.
"Where is mzee?" this reporter asked. "He has been missing for three days," replied the man, "and madame is sick, but you can talk to that one," he said pointing at another man who was walking through the front door.
The female house keeper said the household property had been taken out the day before. "Mzee yagenda ku lwamukaga, nebintu by'omunyumba babitute egulo," she said.
She hinted that the Binaisas were having marital problems at the moment and that her mistress was better off not talking to anyone.
Only one uniformed policeman armed with an AK 47 riffle kept guard. He said he had been deployed from Kabalagala police post. Binaisa's three Police guards were with him at the Makindye house.
Incomplete marriage
Daily Monitor learnt that owing to an error in procedure, the Binaisa-Yamamoto marriage was not legally binding. Instead of going to the registrar general, Binaisa and Yamamoto went to the town clerk who lacked the legal jurisdiction to preside over a civil marriage.
Upon realising the error, the couple could not move over to the Registrar General's office but went straight for the reception at Speke Resort Munyonyo. "We got a kind of marriage," said Binaisa. "We don't have a marriage certificate, both of us," he said. "We were in the process of completing the marriage but we didn't."
This was Binaisa's third marriage after his first ended in divorce. Binaisa sued his first wife for divorce over adultery and won. His second and longest marriage ended two years ago with the death of his wife Marjorie.
Still in love
Asked if he had any regrets from his marriage with Yamamoto Binaisa replied, "It was great. This now is irreconcilable but I still have a lot of admiration for her and wish her the very best of luck in whatever she's going to engage in," he said. "I still love her."
Asked if he would reverse his decision if Yamamoto agreed to let him practise his Anglican faith Binaisa replied, "I cannot answer that now".
Binaisa, who described Yamamoto as mature, intelligent and beautiful, affirmed that he could not remarry. "I have very few more years to live, I will not remarry," he said. | 
