Sarika’s father halts dream wedding By FrSarika’s father halts dream wedding

Lovebirds Sarika Patel (right) with his Bukusu boyfriend Timotthy Khamala pose while at the Standard offices when they came for KTN live link on 1st/Aug/14. BY CHRISPEN SECHERE.

Wealthy businessman Chabbadia Patel has filed an injunction at the Bungoma East District Commissioner’s office to stop the wedding of his daughter Sarika to Timothy Khamala.

The move now halts plans for the two lovebirds to tie the knot in a civil marriage that had been slated for Tuesday 26 after the much publicised rare love affair in Nang’ina village of Webuye.

The government had opened a 21-day window for anyone with objection to the union to file a petition before Monday.

Authorities kept contents of the objection from the media but insiders told The Nairobian that among other things, the father, in his petition, claimed Timothy had kidnapped Sarika and that his family is unaware of her whereabouts.

But when this writer spoke to her on phone, she confirmed that she was in Webuye and has been residing in Nang’ina village all along.

Not surprisingly, the new twist has left Sarika, 24, crestfallen.

“It has irked me. This is the day I have been waiting for all my life. I already made a choice and everyone knows about it. I will not change my mind,” Sarika told The Nairobian during an interview.

“We had planned to make it a small occasion with those expected to attend of course being mostly Timothy’s family. This is a setback,” she added.

Bungoma East DC Adan Gedow, who is on assignment in Nairobi, said he had not seen the marriage objection and would explore the matter once back in his office.

Sarika first met Timothy when he came to work at their family’s business enterprise in Webuye as a casual labourer. His employment was, however, terminated when their love affair was discovered and he remains jobless. But he vows he is not about to turn his back on Sarika.

“There have been numerous efforts to separate me from Sarika, but by now, the writing should be on the wall. I can’t live without her. Her father had actually given consent for us to go on with the wedding. How things changed is a mystery to me,” said Timothy.

The two lovers have faced opposition from several quarters, especially from Sarika’s family.

“We have known each other for four years, and it has been dramatic. My parents do not support the relationship. They have on more than one occasion tried to convince my fiancé to leave me in vain because we love each other,” notes Sarika.

Sarika was born in Mukumu, started schooling at Webuye Kindergarten and proceeded to Booker Academy for her O-levels. Later on, she schooled in Nairobi before returning home to run her father’s businesses.

Meanwhile, some villagers, mystified by the ‘odd couple,’ are now bandying theories about, with some even claiming Timothy may have used black magic to win the Asian beauty.

Interestingly though, Timothy reveals that it was Sarika who in fact first approached him and not the other way round.

The two hope the injunction is only a temporary setback.