Joy as Murang’a couple in their 90s celebrates 75 years of marriage

The event, held at the Ndang’ang’i family home, was described as enduring love, filled with joy, music, and heartfelt tributes from family and friends.

The celebration itself was a joyous occasion with Mungai and Elizabeth entertaining the attendees by walking hand in hand and singing along to familiar tunes.

A specially designed cake marked the 75th anniversary, symbolizing the passage of time and the sweetness of a lifelong union.

At 96, Mungai, and his beloved wife Elizabeth, 94, looked back on a journey that began in 1949.

Their story began in a time when phones were a distant dream, and communication was limited to face-to-face meetings, handwritten letters, or messages delivered through trusted friends.

Despite the challenges of an era without modern conveniences, their love flourished, leading to the birth of their first child in 1950 and eventually to a family of nine children.

The secret to their long-lasting marriage, according to Mungai, lies in respect and endurance.

"Marriage is like a wheel," he pondered during the celebration, "it keeps turning and sometimes the road is rough and bumpy, and sometimes it is smooth. If you want to move, it has to turn and you know how the road is, not smooth always but you have to move."

Elizabeth, referring to her own experiences, stressed the importance of forgiveness, understanding, and endurance. 

"Everybody makes mistakes in marriage," she said. "But you don’t punish all the mistakes; most of the times you forgive." 

She also cautioned against the damaging effects of external gossip, advising that reacting to negative comments about one’s spouse can lead to the downfall of a marriage. 

“Some people will tell you how your man or your wife is behaving, but if you react to these gossips, your marriage will go nowhere,” she advised.

Their advice to newlyweds was to focus on building a strong family foundation rather than prioritizing material wealth. 

"It is not all about money, it’s about family. If you say it’s about money, what happens when you lose the money that you had? Focus on building what is around you, money will come." They highlighted.

Their children shared touching memories and notes about the couple’s relationship.

Ndung’u Mungai, their son, recalled about growing up in a household where conflict was virtually unheard of. 

"I am approaching 70, and I have never seen them fight or disagree in front of us. They have taught us respect," he said. 

Joe Mungai, an educationist and unionist, expressed gratitude for witnessing his parents’ 75th wedding anniversary. 

He also highlighted his father’s commitment to education, noting that Mungai valued it above all else and supported his children’s academic pursuits wholeheartedly.

He praised his father’s dedication to education and his mother’s spirituality, "I know my dad as a guy who loved to see his children excel in school, while my mum was and still is very spiritual," said Joe, the youngest of the couple’s children.

Christine Ngigi, wife to Joe Mungai, credited the couple with providing invaluable marital guidance. "If it were not for them, I don’t think I could be here," she said.

"Marriage is not always straight, and if you don’t have someone who can guide you, it can collapse." She added.

Mungai Ndang’ang’i, who retired as an administrator, and Elizabeth Wothaya have set an example of enduring love and demonstrated how a strong foundation of mutual respect, understanding, and commitment can weather the tests of time.