Ricardo Raymond Amunjera and Marc Omphemetse have wed in Johannesburg and plan their official wedding reception in Namibia this weekend
Mr Gay Namibia, Ricardo Raymond Amunjera and his partner Marc Omphemetse Themba and have tied the knot in Johannesburg.
The official wedding reception ceremony will take place at Namibia`s Hilton Hotel, this Saturday (20 April), where the gay couple will also celebrate Amujera`s 30th birthday.
Gay marriage is illegal in Namibia and in Botswana, Themba’s home, forcing the couple to travel to South Africa’s Johannesburg where they had a civil ceremony.
The couple does not plan to follow any script when they exchange vows: ‘I will just look into Ricardo’s eyes and speak from the heart’, told Themba to the portal ZimeEye.
The couple began their romance online when Themba saw Amujera`s photo on Facebook and decided to contact him.
The couple are said to have started spending hours chatting to each other via telephone and their love blossomed.
They then decided to meet each other in person, which happened at Gaborone airport, Botswana.
Themba told ZimeEye: ‘Ricardo is the first meaningful relationship of my life.
‘He’s a beautiful shy person. He sometimes comes across as fierce, but he’s a sweetie’.
Amujera is openly gay and well known and accepted in Nambia.
He along with his two siblings were raised a family friend, Ditapelo Sibona, after loosing his parents.
Dithapelo said she welcomed the news of their marriage, saying ‘That is how God created him, so people out there should accept him the way he is’.
‘You don’t necessarily expect someone of her generation to be so open’ remarked Amujera.
Amujera works as a geological supervisor at Langer Heinrich Uranium mine, while his husband, Themba, works as business manager in Francistown.
Both men feel that the future for gay people is looking brighter in their countries.
Themba said: ‘Attitudes are slowing changing.
‘Maybe one day the law will too’.
Amujera is reported to use Facebook to help dispel homophobia: ‘People are afraid of the unknown. But when we connect on Facebook we respond to each other as individuals’, he explained.
by Dan Littauer
Source – Gay Star News
