Jinja, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Jovia Mutesi recently became Busoga’s 5th queen, marrying King Gabula Nadiope IV in a church ceremony and traditional rituals. The wedding took place at Christ’s Church Cathedral in Jinja City’s Bugembe Township, marking the first time a king was wedded at the Busoga Diocesan’s headquarters.
The ceremony, attended by notable figures including Vice President Jessica Alupo, emphasized the significance of marriage in Busoga’s 11 chiefdoms. Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu officiated the wedding, highlighting the biblical perspective on marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
With over 2,000 guests and an estimated 10 million viewers across Uganda, the event featured a choir of 100 members, blending modern and cultural liturgy. Security measures were in place due to potential threats, with police and soldiers monitoring the area.
The newlyweds, riding on a six-wheeled cart, faced a change in plans for town processions due to security concerns. The royal couple proceeded to the Igenge Palace for the reception. King Nadiope IV, born on November 1, 1988, is the son of Uganda’s first Vice President Wilson Gabula Nadiope II and Josephine Nadiope.
Jovia Mutesi, the first-born daughter of a Resident District Commissioner, joins the lineage of four previous queens since 1939. The last royal wedding in Busoga was in February 1956 when Henry Wako Muloki married Alice Kintu Muloki.
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