Bylaw on Acholi bride price eases traditional marriages

In April, a 39-year-old man, who did not want to be named, together with his family sought the help of the Acholi cultural institution to revise the bride price assessment that his wife’s side had demanded.

“I felt the assessment was beyond my expectation and what our culture says since they were demanding 10 cows and Shs16 million as bride price, besides other items. But I was assisted and the marriage went on smoothly, and today, we are happily staying together,” he says.

The man adds that after the negotiations, he paid Shs4 million and hopes to clear the balance of Shs1 million.

The father of three is one of those who welcomed the bylaw passed by Acholi cultural institution last year that stipulates a standard bride price.

According to the bylaw,  once one commits to marriage, they are required to pay a bride price not exceeding Shs5m, and anything more is considered a gift.

It follows outcries of many Acholi, who argued that families were charging exorbitant bride price thus commercialising traditional marriage.

The prime minister of the cultural institution, Mr Ambrose Olaa, says the demand for exorbitant bride price has significantly dropped.

“The people who value tradition are happy because it has eased and deepened the understanding of what marriage is. We are now getting people seeking counsel and certificates of traditional marriage which used not to be the case,” Mr Olaa says.

“The demand for those documents has increased, and every month, at least 10 people seek certificates of marriage and more than 20 reach out for marital consultations and assessment harmonisation,” he adds.

According to the cultural institution, about 80 percent of couples in Acholi are not formally married, which Mr Olaa says led to the creation of the bylaw. “We never expected it to be embraced easily since people had adopted a sub-clan of commercialising traditional marriage, and that is why they are continuing with the sensitisation through the 57 clans in Acholi so that people understand the tradition and preserve it,” Mr Olaa says.

“There are clans that have passed bylaws that say in case you (man) eloped, it shouldn’t take more than two years for the process of traditional marriage to commence. This is in the marriage protocol and clans are ratifying them for sustainability purposes,” he adds.

According to Mr Olaa, it is still a long way for people to get back to the original traditional marriage due to the influence of friends.

“People have since adopted a culture where friends have more power over traditional marriage than relatives, in-laws and parents of the bride and groom,” Mr Olaa says.

The chief of the Lamogi clan, Rwot Otinga Otto Ayayi, who is also the deputy paramount chief of Acholi, says they forwarded the bylaw to Parliament for guidance to effect punishments if someone disobeys the law.

“We are waiting on Parliament to give us the power to punish those who want to abuse our culture and set their bride price contrary to what we require traditionally,” Rwot Otinga says.

He adds: “Unlike in the past, I receive more than 100 people consulting on traditional marriage monthly and at least 10 couples proceed to have a fruitful marriage because of the ease we have made on the bride price. This is not devaluing our daughters, but it is what the culture says,” Rwot Otinga says.

However, according to Rwot Kassimiro Ongom, the chief of Patongo clan, some people present items that are not required, which discourages many people from marrying.

“I have had scenarios where people call me during negotiations to seek opinion on items that have been included as requirements for traditional marriage and this shows little awareness of the bylaw,” Rwot Ongom says.

“Some people want the Shs5m given at once, which traditionally is not true because we believe in something which should unite people forever and its completion of the bride price in done future. We called it “tyen dyang” where the family of the man delivers what they owe the family of the woman after several years in marriage,” he adds.

However, Ms Josephine Gillian P’ Ochen, an Acholi, says: “I don’t think there will be any changes since people are copying from neighbours. Ker Kwaro placed this as institutional value but practically, it is not happening.”

About the bylaw

According to the bylaw, when one wants to marry an Acholi, he will be required to present a lamp, a litre of paraffin, laundry and bathing soap, a matchbox, a saucepan, stool and suit for the father-in-law, a gomesi for the mother-in-law, and cigarettes. Other items include a goat for the uncle, paternal aunt, and another for preparing a marital home. Other requirements include facilitation for a marriage committee,six goats and six cows for dowry. Bride price is between Shs3 and Shs5 million.

However, in case a woman comes from a royal family, then a man is expected to present a leopard skin, bangle and beads. And if a woman had an abnormal birth, the family of the bridegroom is expected to take a sheep and a white hen for marital rituals.

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