The question of marital unions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is very often debated. Recently, a bill was put forward by the national deputy Daniel Mbau suggesting the fixing of the sum of $500 for the dowry. This raises a question: should dowry only be about money or should it be discussed between the two families involved? Women interviewed by the Actualité.cd women’s desk gave their opinions.
Charlotte Magana, a 26-year-old university-educated entrepreneur, points out that setting the dowry at $500 would be inappropriate. She feels that such a sum does not represent her worth, nor the investments that her parents have made for her in order to give her a better future. She proposes an amount of at least $1500 for the dowry.
Jeannette Omoyi thinks that the dowry should not be linked to the banknote. Rather, it suggests a list of goods that should be proposed, possibly accompanied by a sum of money. Thus, this would open a dialogue between the two families. She also argues that the Congolese state should not set an amount for the dowry, but rather leave this issue to the families concerned.
Winnie Sakina, a nurse at the health center, wonders what can be bought with a dowry of $500. She underlines that the parents organize the reception of the husband’s family (the customary marriage) thanks to the money of the dowry. She indicates that if the dowry is fixed at $500, this will pose a problem for the organization of the reception, especially if the Congolese are tenants, which implies the rental of a space for the reception. Therefore, she feels that the symbolic value should be reconsidered and all expenses related to the reception and the customary wedding should be assessed before setting the amount.
Regarding engagements, Divine Mvuezolo, a 30-year-old cashier at a Kinshasa supermarket, opposes the proposal to limit engagement time to less than a year. She relies on her personal experience to affirm that this should not be a requirement, because it is not easy for men to gather the financial means in such a short time.
Pemba Déborah, a 23-year-old shopkeeper, believes that setting the amount of the dowry at $500 would be a good thing to encourage young people to marry. It is based on the observation that many young people do not marry before the age of thirty, because they are not financially stable. She thinks this would reduce the phenomenon of consensual unions in the DRC.
Emmanuella Fungula, a second undergraduate medical student at the UPC, is in favor of this bill and thinks that it would also reduce the number of common-law unions in the DRC. However, it encourages the use of local currency (Congolese franc) and the conversion of the amount into francs to facilitate the collection of the sum..
In conclusion, the issue of dowry and marital unions is complex and requires an open and honest discussion between the two families involved. Setting specific amounts can be useful in some cases, but does not necessarily solve the problems related to the organization of the reception and the customary wedding. Expenses related to these events may vary with each family and so it is important to discuss these matters on a case-by-case basis