The Kakeetos were high school sweethearts

When and how did you meet?

Viola: We met through a friend, Annet Nasamula, while at Blessed Sacrament Kimanya Secondary School, Masaka, in 2013.

Derrick: We met through a mutual friend and from the time I met her, I got hooked on my lovely wife Viola. At the time, she was a Senior Three student while I was in Senior Five. Our relationship has been a work in progress guided by always making plans before doing anything and involving our teachers and religious leaders who helped us work towards achieving holy matrimony.

What attracted you to each other?

Viola: My husband has always been a courageous, disciplined, responsible and loving man who knows how to strike a balance between work and family. Supporting and encouraging me with words of wisdom through my last year at Kyambogo University where I was pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Education was one of the qualities that attracted me to him.

Derrick: For me, it was love at first sight. Even my parents Alex Kakeeto and Aidah Namulindwa were happy with my choice and gave me the go-ahead to marry Viola at the age of 29. My wife is a soft-spoken woman and is willing to share her future with me. Even then, her love for me made me believe she was the one God had prepared for me.

What were your first impressions of each other?

Viola: Initially, I was not sure he was the right man for me. I had always been scared of falling in love since I feared getting my heart broken. I never envisioned myself falling in love at the age of 17. I turned down his advances several times, including at our leaver’s party but he was persistent.

Derrick: It was not a bed of roses. She was shy and not eager to fall in love. I tried several times to convince her and with patience and persistence, I was able to win her heart eventually.

How was your courtship?

Viola: It was a long journey filled with a lot of trials. While in Senior Four, I was caught by my teacher Ronald Nabamba with a phone, which was prohibited. I was taken to the disciplinary committee but I was not subjected to any punishment. Asked who I had been talking to and after apologising, Joseph Balikuddembe, the deputy teacher in charge of academics advised Derrick and I to concentrate on our studies.

Derrick: I had high hopes that our relationship would lead to marriage. Although we started our courtship as early as 2013, I was an open-minded person and I told our deputy head teacher that my ambition was to marry Viola. When he realised how serious and determined I was, he encouraged us to date but under his watchful eye and guidance.

How did you choose your colours for the wedding and introduction ceremonies?

Viola: Black is my favourite colour, the reason I chose it as the theme colour for our introduction ceremony that took place on November 1, 2020. For the wedding, I chose grey and it matched well with everything else, thanks to Mummy Rob’s Dress Collection who designed my wedding gown.

Derrick: I chose grey since I wanted to preserve the culture and Buganda Kingdom’s preferred colours.

Did you attend premarital counselling?

Viola: I am free and cordial with my many family members who have been married for a while. I leaned towards them for all the counselling I needed, especially since I had already learnt so much from them.

Derrick: We were counselled by Fr Emmanuel Kigwanye and the Masaka Diocesan Bishop Serverus Jjumba, whose spiritual words of encouragement really made us believe we were ready for marriage.

Was the honeymoon vital to you and why?

Derrick: Yes it was. The honeymoon was a memorable trip for us. We were lucky enough to travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for six days. The time we spent together was so vital because we got to talk about our future plans and set a strong foundation for the success of our marriage.

What lessons have you learnt so far?

Viola: To me, marriage is a blessing. It comes with a lot of lessons and sacrifices but we have been prayerful. Putting everything before God means He is our guide and this way, we always find a solution to even the most difficult situations. Relationships should be taken one step at a time and most importantly, partners should remain prayerful because not everyone in your circle holds genuine intentions.

Derrick: Holy matrimony is a gift from God. It is a voyage worth travelling and sharing with that special person God has blessed you with. Remain focused and give it your all while also praying and asking God for guidance.

Cost

How much did you spend on the introduction ceremony and the wedding?

Derrick: We spent Shs66m on our introduction ceremony and Shs125m on the wedding.