MBARARA, Uganda — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has marked a significant family milestone following the traditional marriage ceremony of his granddaughter, Sasi Karugire, describing the occasion as both deeply personal and reflective of faith and resilience.
The ceremony, known as kuhingira, was held over the weekend and brought together close family members, including Sasi’s parents, Natasha Museveni Karugire and businessman Edwin Karugire. The event is a key pre-wedding rite in many western Ugandan communities, formally introducing the bride to her fiancé’s family.
In remarks shared after the ceremony, Museveni linked the occasion to Uganda’s broader historical journey and his own family’s experience during periods of political instability.
“I am grateful to God for blessing me and Maama Janet with a family, and for enabling us to have children even during very challenging times when Uganda was in turmoil,” Museveni said. “I am thankful to have lived to see my children grow up, start their own families, and now I am grateful to God to see my grandchild, Sasi Karugire, getting married.”
“It teaches me that when you do God’s work, He will do yours,” he added.
Cultural significance of ‘kuhingira’
The kuhingira ceremony remains one of the most important traditional marriage rites in western Uganda, particularly among Ankole communities. It typically involves the formal introduction of the bride, negotiations between families, and cultural rituals that affirm union and lineage.
Images circulating online from the event show participants dressed in traditional Ankole attire, underscoring the enduring role of cultural identity even among Uganda’s political elite.
Also Read: The death of marriage: Why love no longer needs a ring to feel real
While Yoweri Museveni has been in power since 1986, public glimpses into his family life remain relatively rare. Occasions such as this offer insight into the personal side of one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, whose political legacy continues to shape Uganda’s trajectory.
The ceremony is expected to be followed by additional customary and religious celebrations ahead of the official wedding.
Across East Africa, traditional marriage rites like kuhingira continue to hold cultural and social weight, even as societies modernise. Among political families, such ceremonies often serve as a bridge between heritage and contemporary public life, reinforcing identity, continuity and social cohesion.
