BRIDE PRICE AND WOMEN MISTREATMENT

I accidentally came across the discussion that was being aired by BBC Swahili service yesterday evening. The topic in discussion was on the bride/dowry price. The discussion followed the dicission of some Ugandan activists who took the case before the Uganda High Court demanding that the bride price be abolished. However, the case was rejected under the quoted grounds below:

"Kampala — Court has declared the custom and practice of paying bride price a condition precedent to marriage as legal because it is intended to show appreciation to the parents of the bride'

During the discussion,the presenter consulted two activists on line, one from Kenya and one from Tanzania. The interesting part of their arguments was that though the two differed in their explanations, they shared the same position that Bride Price undermines the status of women. During the discussion , it was later added that the higher the bride price the higher the possibility of the woman being mistreated.

I understand that in most African or developing countries so to speak the status of women is very low as comperad to men due to social,cultural and economic reasons that deliberately put men at the pic of everything. This is indeed the clear manifestation of the inherent patriarchy system in our societies that presupposes that women are objects that should abide to whatever is decided by men. This situation become even worse when some people dare to cite some religious verses that accidentally support their wrong deeds.

However, i would like to differ abit from the conclussion that my fellow activists have been making by making an absolute link between bride price and women mistreatment. Why am I arguing this? because if that has been the case, then i would expect Indian Men to be mistreated as according to their culture its women who pay bride price(I stand to be corrected). I do not deny the fact that to some extent bride price has been acting as a price tag and a permission to to the husband for treating his wife as he wishes.

The topic in dicsussion is crucial and timing, i welcome other activists to contribute their ideas on how best women mistreatment can be addressed.

MFUMO DUME UNAANZIA HAPA

Tabia hii ya kugawa kuwa kazi fulani ni za wanawake na kazi fulani ni za wanaume ndiyo inayosababisha kazi ya kuutokomeza mfumo dume kuwa ngumu. Kwani huyo mtoto wa kiume angekuwa naye amebabe maji kuna tatizo gani? Kuna kila sababu ya kuamini kuwa inawezekana mtoto huyo wa kiume tayari aliishaambiwa kuwa kazi ya kuchota maji ni kazi ya wanawake- kazi ya kike. Tabia ya aina hii haifai katika jamii yetu, hebu tubadilike jamani.

BIG BOOBS

Sorry if I might be interfering your privacy, I just thought this might be worth discussing for the sake of awareness creation among women. I understand that for some this situation might be a desease while for others a man made thing(or made in China). What inspires one to admire this?

HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY

HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MUCH RESPECT TO YOU WOMEN,

INDEED YOUR CARING AND ENDLESS UNDURANCE IS DAILY APPRECIATED BY EVERY SANE MAN

I DECICATE YOU THE SONG: Sweet Mother

BY Prince Nico Mbarga

Sweet mother I no go forget you
for the suffer wey you suffer for me.

Sweet mother I no go forget you
for the suffer wey you suffer for me.

When I dey cry, my mother go carry me--she go say,
'my pikin', wetin you dey cry ye, ye,
stop stop, stop stop make you no cry again oh."

When I won sleep, my mother go pet me,
she go lie me well well for bed,
she cover me cloth, sing me to sleep,
"sleep sleep my pikin oh."

When I dey hungry, my mother go run up and down.
she go find me something when I go chop oh.

Sweet mother I no go forget you for the suffer wey you suffer for me

When I dey sick, my mother go cry, cry, cry,
she go say instead when I go die make she die.

O, she go beg God,
"God help me, God help, my pikin oh."

If I no sleep, my mother no go sleep,
if I no chop, my mother no go chop, she no dey tire oh.

Sweet mother I no go forget you,
for the suffer wey you suffer for me.

You fit get another wife, you fit get another husband,
but you fit get another mother? No!

And if I forget you, therefore I forget my life and the air I breathe.

And then on to you men, forget, verily, forget your mother,
for if you forget your mother you've lost your life.