By Aggrey Baba
Men are increasingly shying away from marrying Banyankore girls, scared off by the sky-high bride prices attached to them, but Gen (rtd) David Sejusa has warned that this cultural burden, once meant to preserve dignity, is now chasing men away and leaving many women unmarried.
He pointed out that in some families, parents demand up to sixteen (16) cows and forty (40) million shillings before handing over their daughters, a price tag that most young men can’t meet.
Sejusa explained that when marriage becomes a preserve of the wealthy, the whole community pays the price, adding that the Banyankole population is no longer growing as it should, because many girls remain single and those who do marry end up with only two children. In his eyes, this is slowly turning the community into a house with fewer pillars, threatening its strength and survival.
The general also stretched his point to the national stage, saying with Uganda’s population at around forty million, he observed that about two (2) million people seek political offices every election term. He reasoned that shrinking families mean fewer voters and weaker representation, which translates into lost opportunities for development and influence.
Sejusa urged families in Western Uganda to rethink their customs before it is too late. He said clinging to excessive bride price is like killing the goose that lays the golden egg, because it robs the community of marriages, children, and a strong future.
To him, culture should build bridges, not walls, and unless adjustments are made, the Banyankole risk standing on sinking sand. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
