DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The Price of a Bride
A proposed bill that would amend Congo’s 1987 family law regarding the payment of dowry and the issue of polygamy has stirred controversy with many saying the government has no right to interfere in matrimonial affairs, Africa News reported.
Congolese lawmaker Daniel Mbau, who proposed the legislation, has demanded a change in the family code to set a limit on the amount a would-be groom pays as dowry.
Under the bill, the proposed dowry for rural areas should be no more than $200, $500 for those in urban areas. Mbau said that many Congolese parents have turned the payment of dowry “into a business,” creating problems in society.
Currently, some families in the capital, Kinshasa, demand $3,000 to $5,000 as dowry for their daughters. The amount could rise depending on the daughter’s education level.
“Today, some parents are asking for so much. I attended a ceremony where a parent asked for an air ticket,” said one Congolese woman.
Although the bill has yet to be scheduled for national debate, it has whipped up a storm among the Congolese, many of whom believe there is no reason to change tradition.
Meanwhile, Mbau has also proposed the criminalization of polygamy in Congo, which is still practiced by some Congolese tribes.
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