“We are not giving away our daughter” – Woman's family rejects 100 cow dowry from SA President

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and his family were left in a state shock after family of a lady they had gone to Uganda to marry for the President’s son rejected the bride price describing it as dehumanizing to womanhood.

The Ramaphosa family were reportedly in Ugandan capital, Kampala on Saturday, May 19 to present the dowry to his colleague, former Ugandan prime minister and presidential candidate, Amama Mbabazi whose niece was the bride-to-be.

The presentation of the dowry was part of processes to tie the knot between son of the South African President, Andile Ramaphosa and Bridget Birungi Rwakair.

However, right after the formal introduction when the Ramaphosa family narrated their mission and disclosed what they had in store for the bride-to-be’s family, Amama Mbabazi rejected the outrageous dowry on behalf of the family.

The rejection was not because they deemed the dowry inadequate, but they claimed it was too much.

He is quoted as saying: "Even the so called giveaway ceremony is distorted. We are not giving away our daughter. She is still our own, so whatever you’re going to give us, we are giving it to the young family so that they can multiply it to raise their family."

The former Ugandan Prime Minister explained that women are so priceless that equating them to animals is dehumanising, hence accepting the bride price would mean selling out their daughter.

Not even pleas by Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation could convince the Mbabazi family to accept the juicy dowry.

Amama Mbabazi emphasised the family’s entrenched position, saying: "This is prehistoric form of injustice which we must address. We should instead be cementing the bond between the two families and growing the roots of the family trees. We are not giving away our daughter because she is still one of us.”

The family insisted: “We do not want to hear the word dowry or bride wealth in this meeting, because we are not selling our daughter. You may find another word. Maybe gifts to thank us the parents for raising our daughter.”

According to Tuko.co.ke, the dowry was made up of 100 cattle and other precious items, but the bride-to-be’s family flatly rejected it.

Guess what the woman’s family took from the groom-to-be’s family at the end of the long debate!

The news portal reported that the Mbabazi family took from their Ramaphosa counterpart only five cows to be given to the couple and five Boer goats for the extended family of Rwakairu as a token of appreciation for raising her.

This is really remarkable, especially in an era where both quality and quantum of bride price is a deal breaker for contemporary women and their families in Ghana and Africa by extension.

“We are not giving away our daughter” – Woman's family rejects 100 cow dowry from SA President

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and his family were left in a state shock after family of a lady they had gone to Uganda to marry for the President’s son rejected the bride price describing it as dehumanizing to womanhood.

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