A politician in the Democratic Republic of Congo has introduced a bill in the country’s parliament seeking to revise dowry payments for marriages.
Daniel Mbau is concerned about what he called exorbitant dowry prices ranging from $2000 and above.
His bill is proposing a dowry payment of $500 for women from the cities and $200 for women from rural areas.
According to Mbau, the present high dowry price is preventing many young people from engaging in lawful marriages, resulting in a significant number of rapes.
The politician is hoping the bill also helps many jobless youth who are without money to also afford to pay dowries and marry.
Dowries have been a major source of worry for young couples who hardly make enough income to enable them to fund their marriage ceremonies.
In some African families dowries are set at high rates as a means placing value on the women being offered for marriages.
Several couples in the Nigerian state of Kano in 2019 halted their plans of getting married following the imposition of a wedding tax.
The tax imposed by the chief of the Kera village required grooms to pay 137,000 naira ($377, £294).
Prior to the imposition of the wedding tax grooms were required to provide furniture and kitchen ware to the bride’s family when they get married.
Source: Africafeeds.com
