The proposed law to revise the family code, dealing with dowry, engagement and polygamy has sparked heated debates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The bill provides in particular to set the amount of the dowry at 500 dollars, at the suggestion of MP Daniel Mbau Sukisa.
Although some welcome this proposal as a necessary measure to combat excesses and depravity, others, such as Solange Masumbuko, believe that fixing the amount of the dowry risks removing an important element of the marriage process. According to her, the dowry must be discussed and cannot be fixed arbitrarily.
“The symbolic nature of the dowry among the Bashi (ethnic group in South Kivu) for example, could not give rise to a fixation. Two families meet, each looking for the most eloquent spokesperson. It is a rendezvous of arguments […]. It is the meeting between ethnic groups, it is all the beauty of our customs that must not be suppressed. At this level, we can analyze the measures to discourage customs that try to override the symbolic side,” said Solange Masumbuko.
In other words, the setting of the amount of the dowry envisaged by the bill risks eliminating an important traditional practice in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which consists of a symbolic meeting between two families. It is such exchanges that strengthen cohesion between families and promote the transmission of our cultural heritage.
Although the revision of the family code is necessary to fight against depravity and cultural excesses, this must be done without removing certain symbolic aspects of our Congolese customs. Thus, MPs must take care to preserve the beauty of our customs while ensuring their evolution for the general well-being of society.