Zimbabwe families debate ‘lobola’ [bride price] tradition

Posted on November 28, 2009

http://www.coastweek.com/xin271109-06.htm

“People marry to build relationships, not to beat each other” – Men’s rights group director Leo Wamwanduka

HARARE  — Zimbabwe has launched nationwide debates on the issue of lobola (bride price) to get people’s views on the meaning of lobola and its link with domestic violence, an official said on Friday.

Men’s rights group Padare/ Enkundhleni director Leo Wamwanduka said the decision to hold the discussions emerged from training that the organisation carried out in 36 rural districts on gender based violence and the Domestic Violence Act early this year.

He said during the training, it emerged that most men were refusing to treat women as equals since they paid lobola to live with them.

“We want to hear the perspectives of the people on the meaning of lobola and whether it is a license to abuse women,” he was quoted by local media New Ziana as saying.

Wamwanduka said the dialogue was also meant to establish the historical perspective of lobola and whether something could be done to prevent the practice from causing domestic violence.

Traditionally, lobola was used as a token between families to build relationships.

Over the years, the practice has been commercialized to the extent that people are using it as a means of acquiring wealth.

As a result, men are using the payment as justification to oppress and abuse women who they view as property which they bought.

“People marry to build relationships, not to beat each other,” said Wamwanduka.

Wamwanduka said for the purposes of the dialogue, the country had been divided into five regions namely Mashonaland, Midlands, Masvingo, Manicaland and Matabeleland in order to compare findings from the different communities.

He said so far debates had been held in Mashonaland Central province where chiefs were gathered at Manhenga Business Centre in Bindura and in Harare where it was recorded on the popular Mai Chisamba television show to be aired sometime next week.

“After that we are moving to Bulawayo then Masvingo and we will finish with Manicaland,” he said.

“We want to reflect as much as possible the thinking on the ground at the moment so that we can come up with results based on evidence,” he added.

After the dialogue process, which is expected to end on Wednesday next week, the teams would share results and publish a booklet on their findings.

Women’s rights group Msasa Project said it expected the dialogue to assist in finding a way forward on the issue of lobola, whether it should be discontinued or it should be reduced

Photo Credit: A couple receives marriage blessings at a Catholic Church in Nairobi, Kenya.