Over the weekend, Robert Kayanja Jr, son of Rubaga Miracle Center senior pastor Robert Kayanja introduced his fiancé Marlena Gailis at a lavish ceremony held at their home in Kawuku.
Despite splashing potentially several hundred million shillings on the event and with some of the wealthiest people in attendance, there wasn’t the usual extravagant exchange of heaps of expensive gifts as is usually the case in modern-day kwanjula events.
For instance, Gailis gave Kayanja Jr. a portrait of herself, while in return he gave her an old train ticket from his first trip to her family. The Kayanjas gifted the new couple a Bible, while the groom’s siblings handed flowers to the couple.
“I think I saw some chocolate as well in the gifts. There was nothing expensive,” said Pastor Kayanja, while speaking to the press after the ceremony.
“We wanted a change from the modern kwanjulas which have become unrecognizable. People come with fusos presents and by the time of the wedding, everyone is broke,” he said.
The man of God advised that families on both sides instead of focusing on expensive gifts and hefty pride prices, should be focused on pooling resources to help the new couple with where to start.
Meanwhile, Kayanja also explained why the introduction was held at his home, a stark break from known Buganda traditions.
While ideally, the man’s family is supposed to be hosted by the woman’s according to Buganda lore, Kayanja says they decided to do it the other way round while taking into consideration the background of the in-laws.
Kayanja explained that the introduction couldn’t be held in Latvia, because this is not part of the in-laws’ culture.
“On their side, there is no kwanjula (introduction), kuhingira (giveaway) or any of our traditions here; so we thought that they needed to get that experience, which she (Gailis) will need when she comes to start a family here,” Kayanja explained.
“If it was our girl getting married to the other side, it would be upon her to go there and learn their culture, on how they prepare food, how they dress and how they relate with in-laws.”
