This archive report was first published on 14 July 2019.
On a sunny day in July 2019, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Mumbi married city lawyer Kamotho Waiganjo in a traditional ceremony at Kiamugumo Primary School. The event was attended by thousands of guests, including prominent politicians and dignitaries.
According to tradition, the bride, Anne Mumbi, was expected to arrive fashionably late, and she did not disappoint. She walked down the red carpet at exactly 4pm, amidst ululation and songs from the waiting guests. Her groom, Kamotho Waiganjo, was already present, wearing a traditional hat and a broad smile.
The ceremony started with the cutting of meat, a 'kiande', to signify the unbroken bond between the couple. This was followed by the cutting of 'ngirima', which symbolized Anne Mumbi's transition to the Kamotho family. The crowd was momentarily still when Kamotho fed Anne Mumbi the meat, marking the moment they were married under traditional laws.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga were among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony. Raila even took to the dias to give a hilarious anecdote on what marriage entails, saying 'what is a woman doing behind a man? She should be in front...'. The crowd roared with laughter.
Before the event ended, the bride and groom embraced, and each politician who took to the dias gave their well-wishes to the couple. The ceremony was a celebration of love, tradition, and cultural diversity.
