Uganda: Nebbi Men Want Women to Pay Dowry

RESIDENTS of Nebbi sub-county in Nebbi district have proposed that Parliament enacts laws that make women pay dowry to mitigate the increasing cases of violence against women.

Peter Owachgiu, a resident of Koch Central, said the practice of men paying bride price has rendered women vulnerable to being tortured. He said men base their actions on the practice that makes them think they bought their partners.

Owachgiu argued that if women are allowed to pay dowry, no man will dare harass his wife. "If things do not change, women will continue being punching bags for men because after paying bride price, men assume absolute authority," Owachgiu said. He also lashed out at Parliament for not passing the Marriage and Divorce Bill, saying it has clauses that would mitigate gender-based violence.