Comments on: Sold to the highest bidder – the role of lobola in modern Zimbabwe http://www.kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/sold-to-the-highest-bidder-%e2%80%93-the-role-of-lobola-in-modern-zimbabwe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sold-to-the-highest-bidder-%25e2%2580%2593-the-role-of-lobola-in-modern-zimbabwe Kubatana.net speaks out from Zimbabwe Tue, 03 Dec 2013 13:53:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 By: analyst http://www.kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/sold-to-the-highest-bidder-%e2%80%93-the-role-of-lobola-in-modern-zimbabwe/#comment-234516 analyst Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:49:06 +0000 http://www.kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/?p=8442#comment-234516 l appreciate the research done under this subject and indeed one that not only raises emotions but has since attracted a lot of critism from right thinking members of the society. As l was going through your peice l missed some of the essential information , l am sure will have provided better insight. 1. The Whole concept of lobola and Roora is not well summarised, if you research very well you will find roora has certain benchmarks in each and every ethnic groups in Zimbabwe. In some parts lobola has a standard measure which our parents would gladly tell you how much and what was needed. l think also literature has these studies. 2.What is the ideal behind it, is it a process where one pays for the wife , acknowledges and thank the parents, is it a social security for the kids, is it an enrichment scheme? These questions have answers also from literature and traditional leaders.

There has been a diverging from the real ideals of roora by modern families especially now that it is paid in money? but indeed in the 1950s when people started getting urban, our fore fathers established a way of paying this cultural element. Could it be that lobola has been abused? Although your study was not looking at these, a paragraph looking at the literature closely summing all this will have contextualised your research.

l find it interesting that your study focused only women, interesting views from men – who often are the abusers of the whole roora ceremonies robed your conclusion of worthwhile input.The role of both men and women in lobola should be well examined.

You seem to conclude tha because women are abused because of lobola…l need overacrching evidence to this effect (not isolated individuals using it for violent excuses) l am also happy to find women who say they want to get married with no lobola, and these be interviewed and prove that by not paying lobola you have equal rights to a man and you are not abused.

l think its high time fact and opinion should be separate especially when looking at African culture and human rights?

]]>