At the Royal wedding

FORT-PORTAL - The wedding of Princess Ruth Komuntale and Christopher Thomas was colourful, with women adorned in colourful hairstyles of red, orange and purple being the dominant colours. Other people sat under tents raised outside the overflowing cathedral and followed proceedings from the projector screens erected outside the church.

 

Barbra Kaija (Vision Group EIC) captured the events as they happened.

 

 

** Omukama Oyo thanked his mother for bringing them up well in spite of being a single mother. He thanked President Yoweri Museveni for diligently supporting them as their guardian. He said Princess Ruth was attracted by the blood relationship to Thomas, whose ancestors hailed from Africa. He hailed Thomas for choosing to come back to his roots in Africa .

 

The Omukama advised the married couple to love and honour one another and to stick to their marriage vows. He urged his sister Ruth to keep Toro culture by always loving and respecting her husband. 

 

** Quoting Shakespeare's  "Take me take a king, take me take a soldier",  Ambassador Katenta Apuuli who headed the groom's side said: Chris is a soldier and a gentleman and urged him to remain disciplined so as to have a good marriage. He also advised the couple to look to Jesus, be patient and  love one another.

 

**The Vice President of Uganda Edward Ssekandi, who represented  the President,  thanked the Queen Mother for bringing up Ruth so well.  He thanked Thomas and Ruth for being role models to the youth by committing to be together in marriage. He said committing to marriage was a sign of maturity and urged the youth to come out openly and marry early as a way of fighting HIV and AIDs.

 

** In an emotional speech the Queen Mother of Toro Best Kemigisa thanked all the people who helped her raise the children, especially President Museveni, for his unending support.

 

The Queen Mother asked Ruth and Thomas to be exemplary in their marriage as they are role models. She thanked her two children the Omukama Oyo and the Princess Royal, Komuntale for comforting her and for being there for her. She struggled to remain composed as she remembered her late husband Omukama Kaboyo and their friend, Gadaffi, fromer Libyan president,  who educated Komuntale in Libya.

 

 

** In his characteristic evangelical voice, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Luke Orombi delivered a moving sermon about the sanctity of marriage and its role as a foundation for a strong church and  nation. He called for strong families and decried the disintegration of the family unit and the fact that families no longer sit to eat together or talk.

He asked Christopher as the head of the family, to sit and eat with the family,  to pray for them, and with them.  

 

** “The Princess seated next to you is God's greatest gift to you," said Archbishop Orombi. " Your wife is a very special person, a gift from God. She is priceless. God has given you somebody to compliment and fulfil you.  A wife is a favour from God. Christopher in Princess Ruth you have received favour. She is your mirror who never lies. Christopher you will be more complete now. Women have intuition. When she says something is wrong please stop and listen. She will help you stand. You are also there to make her stand you will lift her and encourage her. You have somebody to talk to."

 

** He asked that husbands Love their wives as Christ loved the Church. He called for husbands to sacrifice for their families. He advised the youth to wait for God to give them the right helpers. 

 

** Princess Komuntale and Christopher have just taken their vows, both in confident, audible flawless American accents. As Archibishop Orombi declared them husband and wife, the congregation broke out into loud praises with the old Christian revival anthem Tukutendereza Omwana gw'endiga. 

 

** In Kabarole, at the foot of the beautiful Mountain Rwenzori, it is bound to rain and this morning, the clouds have opened in blessing to the beautiful Nsemera Komuntale. 

 

** It was emotional as she walked hand in hand with Omukama Kabamba Iguru, the King of Toro,  who is also her younger brother and who also culturally represents their late father. Dressed in her flowing snow-white gown she looked truly regal. They walked in to the old church tune To God be the glory.

 

** In attendance are  Vice President Edward Sekandi, Primer Minister Amama Mbabazi, Speaker of Parliament  Rebbeca Kadaga, ministers and members of Parliament from Kabarole and neighbouring districts.  Also present is The Nabagereka of Buganda, Delegations from the kingdoms of Bunyoro, Ankole, Busoga, Alur Kenya, Congo, Swaziland, Ghana,  European Union Ambassador, Italian Ambassador to Uganda, Rwanda Ambassador to Uganda.

 

** Now at St. John Cathedral, Kabarole. People from all over Toro and Uganda began streaming in as early as 7.30am for the Royal wedding. St. John's Cathedral, with a seating capacity of 500 is full to the brim. Royal entourages from all the Ugandan kingdoms, Mps, ministers,  are all seated. The procession of clergy led by The Archbishop is now coming in to the soft tunes of How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.

 

 

Matron:

Princess Tracy Guma

 

Assistant matron:

Princess Catherine Kajaguzi

 

Williams Thomas

 

Flower Girls:

Princess Zara Mukasa; Princess Davina Kanyaihe; Princess Nkwanzi Ruganda; Princess Kisha Kawamara; Princess Joylyne Katekaine; Princess Sherry Musiime

 

Princess Katrina-Sarah Ssangalyambogo, Princess Shiba Matovu, Princess Lydia Kankya, Princess Shilla Kawamara, Princess Hilda Katuuta, Princess Penninah Baguma

 

Prince Elly Mugamba, Prince Nathan Kazoora, Prince Justin Mainuka, Prince Tumuhairwe Mwebesa, Prince David Mujungu

Prince Mutumba Irunga