By Perez Rumanzi
Rev Keith Katakanya and his wife Margaret have been married for 59 years. However, the gap created by their children becoming independent and leaving home has been filled with so much love that they are now inseparable. They share their story with Perez Rumanzi, in the hope that the young can pick a leaf
On April 20, 1963, Rev. Canon Keith Katakanya and his wife Margaret Katahwa Katakaya vowed to only be separated by death.
59 years later, their love for each other has only grown stronger. The former priest and his wife live in Omur’eibiri Central Division in Ntungamo Municipality.
Throughout their marriage, the only time they have lived apart is when Rev. Katakanya travelled abroad for two years to study.
Serving the church from 1957 when he was inaugurated as a catechist from Buwalasi, Mbale, Rev. Katakanya grew through the ranks of the church retiring as an archdeacon of the Church of Uganda, heading Kyamate Archdeaconry (Now Deanery of the South Ankole Diocese) in 1991.
Together with his wife, they moved from church to church on transfer, that while they had everything they needed, they had little property of their own.
“Although we did not have much, we vowed that our children must go to school. To God’s Glory, all our children are now graduates.” Rev. Katakanya, now 91-years-old, says, adding that 59 years of marriage has not been a walk in the park.
“Sometimes we would not have something to eat but we held onto each other believing that we will get through it as long as we stayed together. We have failed at many things and believe we would have done better but I still believe that together and with God’s help, we have made it work,” Rev. Katakanya says.
Apart
Following their marriage in 1963, the Katakanyas had their first child in 1964, then the second in 1965. The third came a year later while the fourth was born in 1967.
He was then sent for further studies by the Church of Uganda to Oakhill Theological College in the United Kingdom for two years. Click to read more…
