By Antonnate S. Mugodi.
Zimbabwe has introduced a new lobola law which does not require the traditional bride price to have been paid before a marriage can be solemnized.
Parents have been accused of commercializing marriages. The transfer of marriage consideration in our indigenous culture traditionally solidified bonds between families but a disturbing trend has developed over time to commoditize or monetise the marriage relationship for material gain.
Speaking on the law, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi said:
“Some guardians have been commodifying the tradition of lobola and some have even refused to consent to their children’s marriages until lobola has been paid in full.
“This is why so many of our customary and non-customary marriages are unregistered.
“To solve this issue, the bill will no longer require a customary marriage officer to satisfy himself or herself that there has been an agreement on the transfer of marriage consideration.”
However, the Minister was careful to emphasize that the government was not, in fact, abolishing lobola with the new law.
He insisted that if the two parties are willing to have lobola, then they will not be prohibited from doing so. This law has been widely criticized as it further destroys Zimbabwean culture.
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