[Pictures] The marriage proposal ceremony between South Africa’s first son and his Ugandan bride

Andile Ramaphosa, the son of South Africa’s president Cyril Ramphosa, visited Uganda yesterday to ask for the hand of his girlfriend, Bridget Birungi Rwakairu, who is the niece of country’s former prime minister Amama Mbabazi.

The ceremony, known as the Okhushaba, translating ‘to ask’, held in Mbabazi’s home in Kampala, not only involved the introduction of the families to each other but also a discussion of the bride price.

 

 

Upon arrival, guests were led into the house but were later moved to a tent, where they were received by Bakiga elders and served Enturire (a local sorghum brew) to set the pace for the negotiations.

As per the traditions of Venda tribe, to which Ramaphosa belongs, he and his mother were not to take part in the negotiation process. The discussions were to be conducted by a delegation, in this case, led by Charles Mbiire.

The bride’s delegation was led by Uganda’s Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda.

Ramaphosa was fined a goat for having a child out of wedlock. He has a two-month-old baby girl with Bridget.

After paying the fine, he was served a local brew called entakyweera to bind the agreement between the two families.

At the end of the ceremony, the two families had agreed Ramaphosa should pay five cows.

However, the traditional marriage will only be completed when the Mbabazi family pays a reciprocate visit to the Ramaphosa family in South Africa.

Here’s the video of the ceremony.