From Rochdale to Rwanda, ex-MP Simon Danczuk and his new bride
DRESSED in a traditional Rwandan wedding suit and beaming from ear to ear, ex-Labour MP Simon Danczuk marries for the third time, to beauty therapist Claudine Uwamahoro.
The happy couple, who have an age gap of almost 30 years, were joined by more than 100 friends and family at the idyllic Sunday Park gardens in Kigali.
Mr Danczuk, 56, and Ms Uwamahoro – wearing a light green dress – celebrated their nuptials with Rwandan dancing, accompanied by music played on the country’s traditional drums.
The Daily Mail can also reveal that the pair, who met when Mr Danczuk was on a business trip to 28-year- old Ms Uwamahoro’s home country of Rwanda almost 18 months ago, are now hoping to start a family.
Their wedding breakfast at last weekend’s ceremony consisted of typical Rwandan food including fish curry, fried chicken and fish stew, which was washed down with beer and local wine.
Mr Danczuk said: ‘Our wedding was so very special, publicly showing everyone how much Claudine and I love each other.
‘And having a traditional Rwandan wedding was also amazing – the dancers, the families negotiating the partnership, the food – it was truly spectacular.’
Mr Danczuk told how he and Ms Uwamahoro will live between Kigali and Rochdale, Lancashire, where his children live.
He added: ‘We now look forward to living between Rwanda and the UK. I love spending time in Kigali, especially with Claudine and her family, though we will also be in London and Rochdale to see my children as much as possible.’ Ms Uwamahoro revealed that the couple are now planning to have a baby. She said: ‘I am over the moon that we’ve got married, we are now looking forward to the next stage in our lives together, which is having a baby and spending as much time together as possible.’
The couple were joined on their big day by Mr Danzcuk’s son Milton, 14, and Ms Uwamahoro’s proud parents.
Her best friend Anick Umwizerwa was her chief bridesmaid, while Mr Danczuk’s best man was his close friend Jorn Fischer.
Mr Danczuk was previously married to Sonia Rossington, the mother to his eldest children George, 25, and 20-year-old Mary, but that ended after ten years amid accusations that he ‘bullied’ her into sex – which he has always vehemently denied.
He then married Karen Burke, named the ‘selfie queen’ for posting pictures of her cleavage online. They split in 2015 after three years following reports that he had had sex with a 22-year-old woman in his constituency office.
After the split, he was caught sending inappropriate texts, describing himself as ‘horny’, to a prospective employee aged 17. The messages led to his suspension from the Labour Party. Mr Danczuk later said younger women were his ‘Achilles heel’ and that he had had counselling for sex addiction.