The Bridal Ordinance Bill, 2008 tabled by the councillor for Petta Sub-county in Budama North Constituency, Mr Alex Okoth Owor seeks to make bride-price a non-refundable gift.
According to the 1950 Bukedi Bride Price Law which was also amended in 1964, bride price was not meant to exceed five head of cattle, five goats and Shs22.

Mr Okoth argued that the Bukedi law had never been respected as parents had demanded more than what was prescribed for their daughters, making it difficult for some of the poor men to meet the marriage demands.

He said bride price was one of the major causes of domestic violence which had caused marriages to break, resulted into murder of women and caused suffering to children in some families.

Briefing the press in his office last Thursday after the Ordinance was passed, the District Speaker, Mr Simon Peter Opio said passing the ordinance did not mean it had come into effect.

“This Bill is yet to be presented to the Attorney General for guidance. The Attorney General will then pass it to the concerned minister. So, we are still a long way,” Mr Opio said.

Mr Opio also allayed fears that the Bill was meant to abolish bride price. “ We are not abolishing bride price. This is a respected cultural practice in our society. This ordinance only seeks to reform it,” Mr Opio said.
He said the ordinance is aimed at stopping the practice of refunding bride price incase the couple divorces.

“We have had cases where burials of women who die before bride-price is paid have been stopped. This is unfair to the husband who has to meet burial expenses and is again being expected to pay bride- price before he can bury his wife,” Mr Opio said.

He said the ordinance had been passed with approval of the residents from 16 of the 18 sub-counties in the district. Only Nabuyoga and Kirewa sub-counties did not support the Bill.

The move to reform bride- price was initiated by Mifumi, an NGO which is fighting domestic violence, abuse of women and children among other vices.

Addressing the press at Rock Classic Hotel Tororo on Tuesday, the Director Mifumi, Mr Simon Ndira said: “The district council is mandated by the Local Government Act to pass ordinances on issues which affect the life of the citizen. Our role as a concerned NGO was to initiate it.”

Mr Ndira said Mifumi had never advocated for the abolition of bride price because it is a respected cultural practice except it had problems which needed to be addressed. “Our position is not to abolish the institution, but to address the problems and challenges which it is facing,” Mr Ndira said.

This article is also present in The Monitor a national newspaper.