Mignon McLaughlin, the 20th-century American journalist whose aphorisms on marriage are quoted for their unflinching honesty, wrote that successful marriages depend on falling in love many times with the same person. It is a secular echo of the covenant theology the Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, Rt. Rev. Moses Banja, and Rev. Can. Prof. Olivia Nassaka Bbanja reaffirmed at Namirembe.
The couple celebrated a remarkable milestone of a Silver Jubilee in the Holy Institution of Marriage.
The colorful ceremony, held at St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, was characterized by renewed marriage vows and toasting to love and friendship.
It was conducted by the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, in the presence of the Vice President, Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, who represented President Yoweri Museveni.
In his message, President Yoweri Museveni congratulated Bishop Moses Banja and his dear wife, Maama Olivia Banja, upon celebrating a remarkable milestone of a Silver Jubilee, adding that twenty-five years of marriage is a testament to enduring love, unwavering commitment, and steadfast faith in God.
He said this occasion is not only a personal celebration for the Banja family but also a moment of inspiration for all present today, especially the young people.
“In a world where the institution of marriage often faces many challenges, your journey stands as a shining example of resilience, patience and devotion. You have demonstrated that with faith at the center, a marriage can flourish and become a pillar of strength not just for a family, but for the entire community,” Museveni said.
He lauded Mama Bbanja, who doubles as the Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University, for being a supportive wife. “Behind every great Servant of God, there is a supportive partner. Mama Banja, we recognize and appreciate your love, sacrifices and loyalty, that you continue to show in your home and the Church,” President Museveni said.
In the same vein, the President thanked Bishop Banja for his faithful service that has brought transformation in the lives of many Ugandans.
He commended church leaders for spreading the gospel that promotes socio-economic development. Museveni highlighted that the NRM leadership appreciates the Church’s efforts in setting up self-funded projects across various sectors, which have significantly supplemented government services in areas such as health, education, and business.
“It is gratifying to note that the religious leaders in Uganda have added to their fundamental task of evangelism, working for peace and socio-economic transformation,” he said.
On behalf of the Government and the People of Uganda, the President once again extended congratulations to the couple, urging the Almighty God to continue to bless their union with good health, joy and prosperity.
The occasion was also attended by former IGG Beti Olive Namisango Kamya (BONK), Buganda Premier Owek Charles Peter Mayiga, the Nnaabagereka of Buganda Her Majesty Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, Owek. Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, the 2nd Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda, and members of the Clergy.
TEU EXPLAINER: Marriage in a Time of Contracts, Experiments, and Conditional Love.
Marriage today is in trouble. For many, it has been reduced to a contract with exit clauses, or an experiment to be abandoned when the data no longer looks good. It stands only where material wealth flows without resting like the River Nile. It thrives in wellness, but once ill health knocks, marriage flies out the window and the backdoor, never to return.
We now see elders living in solitude, abandoned not by strangers but by their own blood. Some old men, who sacrificed everything to shoulder their families, now sit alone in houses they built.
Their children have taken away their good mother from their “useless old father”, the same father whose back broke paying school fees, whose sleep was traded for family security. When age stripped his strength and sickness drained his wallet, his value expired. The contract ended.
This is the new math of love: One plus one equals everything, only if the bank balance agrees. Two minus one equals nothing, especially if, the one subtracted is sick, old, or broke.
The Banja Silver Jubilee at Namirembe cuts across this darkness like a lamp. Twenty-five years. Sickness and health. Poverty and prosperity. Ministry and academia. No WhatsApp argument, no financial dry spell, no hospital bill could void their vows. That is not contract. That is covenant.
A contract asks, “What do I get?”. A covenant asks, “What can I give, even when there is nothing left?”
Technology has made divorce easier than dialogue. A stray message, a misunderstood joke, a Facebook like and homes burn. We have normalized separation as self-care and solitude as strength. But the elders left alone in those cold houses are not strong. They are casualties of a generation that monetized marriage and medicalized commitment.
The Exposure Uganda (TEU)believes Uganda must confront this. Church and State can build roads and schools, but only families build nations. When marriage is only for the good times, children learn that people are disposable. When we discard our fathers at 70, our sons will discard us at 60.
The Bbanjas remind us: love which lasts is not sustained by money or wellness. It is sustained by faith, forgiveness, and the daily decision to fall in love again with the same person. Age does not kill that kind of glow. Only selfishness does.
The bottom line: If your marriage ends where the money ends, you never had a marriage. You had a business deal. And the Nile never stops flowing because one bank runs dry. We Expose, You Decide.
