President Museveni congratulated Isebantu (King) William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope Gabula IV upon getting a wife, Inhebantu (Queen) of Busoga Jovia Mutesi.
Nadiope and Mutesi tied the knot on Saturday at Christ’s Cathedral in Jinja City.
“Congratulations to His Highness the Kyabazinga on getting us Nyina-abaantu (inhebantu),” Museveni said in a congratulatory message.
In a statement read for him by Vice President Jessica Alupo, Museveni urged cultural leaders to use their status to promote unity both in Uganda and at the East African level.
The daughter of Stanley Bayoole, a Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mutesi becomes Busoga’s 5th queen through a church service followed by ancient cultural rituals.
Her predecessors include; Yunia Nakibande, Susan Nansikombi Kaggwa, Yuliya Babirye Kadhumbula Nadiope, and Alice Florence Violet Muloki.
Nadiope, on the other hand, also became the first-ever king to be wedded at the Busoga Diocesan’s headquarters in Bugembe.
The last time Busoga had a royal wedding was in 1956 when Henry Wako Muloki married Alice Kintu Muloki, according to royal records.
After exchanging vows in a ceremony presided over by the Church of Uganda Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, Queen Mutesi and King Nadiope signed marriage certificates to seal the deal.
“This wedding has made a statement that this kingdom celebrates marriage,” said Kaziimba while emphasising that a marriage should be “between man and woman” and not “man and man or woman and woman”.
At least more than 2,000 guests graced the event while thousands more lined up the streets and roadsides to view and wave at the royal couple.
The bride and groom later hosted their guests at a royal reception at the kingdom’s magnificent Igenge Palace.
The event was also attended by the queens of other kingdoms including; Bunyoro Queen Margaret Adyeri Karunga and her counterparts Best Kemigisa Olimi (Tooro) and Sylvia Nagginda of Buganda Kingdom.
