Marry early, says President Museveni
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for a return to the tradition that encouraged the youth to marry early as a means to stable marriages. He said it was dangerous for the youth to live without partners.
By Hellen Mukiibi,
Henry Mukasa
and Flavia Nakagwa
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for a return to the tradition that encouraged the youth to marry early as a means to stable marriages. He said it was dangerous for the youth to live without partners.
“The wife is an anchor to a husband and the husband is an anchor to his wife. In the past, people used to wed early. This is how life should be,†Museveni added.
He said while the Movement, his political party, was based on a 10-point programme, marriage was based on six points and as such it could not fail. He named the points as companionship, mutual care, love, child upbringing, prayerfulness and mutual support in the creation of wealth.
“We Banyankole cherish joint effort in creating wealth. There should be mutual support in your respective calling and ensure that you do not obstruct each other,†Museveni cautioned.
Museveni offered to help the Church write a marriage code which takes into account cultural values to make marriages stable.
Marital instability, which he said was common in Europe, was beginning to show in Uganda.The President was speaking at the marriage of Richard Mutawonga Bukenya and Carolyne Nyambura Gakuria at Rubaga Cathedral on Saturday.
Mutawonga is a son of Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, while Nyambura is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Gakuria, both Kenyan nationals. Museveni later attended the wedding of his niece, Joseline Kenyana, to Herbert Amanya Bagoro at Rubaga Miracle Centre. Kenyana is a daughter of Gen. Salim Saleh, Museveni’s younger brother.
The President argued that the modern marriage code was brief unlike the traditional one. “Mwagalanenga! (love each other). That’s not enough. How do you love each other in a sustainable way forever? How should the wife talk to the husband? How should the husband talk to the wife?â€
Museveni cited mistrust as a danger to marriage and advised the newly-weds to be transparent and to confess mistakes before they are known through other medium. He also called for love of children.
“I have never barked at my children. We just talk. Why scare children? Children are precious and I know Saleh loves and respects his children. If you talk to children, you make them confident. They don’t become timid,†he counselled parents.
Museveni said Mutawonga, who he referred to as his son, represented the drive for East African integration. “We are talking about the East Africa federation. Richard has gone ahead of us. He went to Kenya and got a wife and Carol accepted to come to Uganda.â€
The President said he was happy that research showed that 75% Ugandans support the federation. Bukenya said his son’s wedding was such a joy.
Several ministers and visitors from Kenya attended the mass led by retired Archbishop of Kampala, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
The couple and their entourage led by a police escort car, left the church in five sleek silver grey Benzes to the vice-president’s private home in Garuga, Entebbe where they hosted their guests to a reception.
Henry Mukasa
and Flavia Nakagwa
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for a return to the tradition that encouraged the youth to marry early as a means to stable marriages. He said it was dangerous for the youth to live without partners.
“The wife is an anchor to a husband and the husband is an anchor to his wife. In the past, people used to wed early. This is how life should be,†Museveni added.
He said while the Movement, his political party, was based on a 10-point programme, marriage was based on six points and as such it could not fail. He named the points as companionship, mutual care, love, child upbringing, prayerfulness and mutual support in the creation of wealth.
“We Banyankole cherish joint effort in creating wealth. There should be mutual support in your respective calling and ensure that you do not obstruct each other,†Museveni cautioned.
Museveni offered to help the Church write a marriage code which takes into account cultural values to make marriages stable.
Marital instability, which he said was common in Europe, was beginning to show in Uganda.The President was speaking at the marriage of Richard Mutawonga Bukenya and Carolyne Nyambura Gakuria at Rubaga Cathedral on Saturday.
Mutawonga is a son of Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, while Nyambura is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Gakuria, both Kenyan nationals. Museveni later attended the wedding of his niece, Joseline Kenyana, to Herbert Amanya Bagoro at Rubaga Miracle Centre. Kenyana is a daughter of Gen. Salim Saleh, Museveni’s younger brother.
The President argued that the modern marriage code was brief unlike the traditional one. “Mwagalanenga! (love each other). That’s not enough. How do you love each other in a sustainable way forever? How should the wife talk to the husband? How should the husband talk to the wife?â€
Museveni cited mistrust as a danger to marriage and advised the newly-weds to be transparent and to confess mistakes before they are known through other medium. He also called for love of children.
“I have never barked at my children. We just talk. Why scare children? Children are precious and I know Saleh loves and respects his children. If you talk to children, you make them confident. They don’t become timid,†he counselled parents.
Museveni said Mutawonga, who he referred to as his son, represented the drive for East African integration. “We are talking about the East Africa federation. Richard has gone ahead of us. He went to Kenya and got a wife and Carol accepted to come to Uganda.â€
The President said he was happy that research showed that 75% Ugandans support the federation. Bukenya said his son’s wedding was such a joy.
Several ministers and visitors from Kenya attended the mass led by retired Archbishop of Kampala, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
The couple and their entourage led by a police escort car, left the church in five sleek silver grey Benzes to the vice-president’s private home in Garuga, Entebbe where they hosted their guests to a reception.