BY NANJINIA WAMUSWA
“If there is anyone with cause why these two should not get married, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Dozens of little hands shot up when Rev Peter Wanderi read that line at Free Methodist Church on December 9.
There was a brief moment of quick glances, silence, then the entire church broke into a prolonged laughter.
Rev Wanderi too was amused but he took the effort to explain to the little children that his question was meant for adults.
He asked the question again to confirm that no one was dissatisfied with the marriage between David Mugo and Veronica Wanjira.
This time round, the church was dead silent. He then declared: “What God has joined together let no man put asunder”.
But this was not the strange thing about the colourful wedding of the Kawangware lovebirds: the mkokoteni ride for the bride was.
Hundreds of Kawangware residents thronged the roads when Veronica was on her way to church on a mkokoteni.
The hand cart was decorated and covered with white clothing and inside there was an armchair for the bride.
When the married couple left the church they sat together as they were pulled by a muscular man and followed by crowds cheering and taking photos with their phones.
She had taken time to make her choice of the most unique bridal vehicle, as the couple told The Nairobian later.
She had settled on a mkokoteni because it would make the wedding cheaper and could make it memorable.
“I am happy it has happened finally and in a unique manner. It has been a long journey of saving and perseverance,” she said heartily.
The wedding cost Sh40,000, most due to food expenses for their relatives and friends.
David said it was not easy to agree to allow her bride to use a hand cart but he later thought it would symbolise the humble beginning of their relationship.
He met Veronica 12 years ago.
“We had nothing to show off except a handcart we used to push and sell vegetables,” he said.
Friends said they couple refused offers by friends with cars and matatus because they wanted the simplicity provided by mkokoteni.
Veronica, a vegetable vendor, owns the handcart that carried the bride and the groom.
David, 38, was born in Nyandarua while Veronica, 30, is from Nyeri. The two met in Nairobi while engaged in small businesses.
They have four children – two girls and two boys.
They will however not go for honeymoon. “The wedding was the most important to us, not honeymoon,” Veronica said.
