Name: High bride price discourages Zambian youth from marriage
Uploaded: 2025-12-04T21:38:59.135Z
Duration: 3 min 51 s
Description: In Zambia, bride price — known locally as lobola or nsalamu—can range from $1,000 to $5,000, often influenced by the bride’s level of education. Many young men say these costs are pushing them away from marriage. Could regulating bride prices be the solution?

In Zambia, bride price — known locally as lobola or nsalamu—can range from $1,000 to $5,000, often influenced by the bride’s level of education. Many young men say these costs are pushing them away from marriage. Could regulating bride prices be the solution?

Lusaka

In Zambia, the tradition of paying a bride price, once a symbol of respect and family unity, has become a significant financial burden for many young couples. The increasing costs, combined with elaborate wedding expenses, have led to delayed marriages, family disputes, and in some cases, long-term debt.

Public opinion is divided on whether the government should regulate bride price to prevent further commercialization. While some argue for maintaining family autonomy, others believe regulation is necessary to restore the tradition's original values and make marriage more accessible for the younger generation.

High bride price discourages Zambian youth from marriage

Every week, young Zambian couples celebrate weddings, whether through traditional ceremonies or modern Western-style events. But for many, the dream of marriage feels increasingly out of reach. Bride price has long been a symbol of gratitude, unity, and cultural heritage in Zambia. Traditionally, it represented respect and family bonds. Today, however, many argue that the practice has become commercialized, placing a heavy financial burden on young couples. The bride price is just too expensive these days, and you pay for the water, and then they also want a wedding. All those things are too expensive, and a newly-wedded couple, you need a lot of finances just to get yourself set up, and right now, it's just too expensive for me, economy-wise. Beyond paying the bride price, couples must also cover the cost of elaborate ceremonies. The ripple effects are significant. Delayed marriages, family disputes, and even long-term debt. Mubanga Dennis Kawe, who successfully negotiated a lower bride price, believes reforms are necessary. So I feel it should as well be dependent on how the groom or the bride feels to say, okay, maybe I should celebrate this person more, or say thank you more in this way, and not it being fixed to say, oh, you need to pay 10,000, you need to pay 20,000, 100,000, and all. Traditional leaders have joined the debate. Recently, Zambia's House of Chiefs called for clear regulations, warning that commercialization is eroding the cultural meaning of Lobola. In the past, what they used to do was that they could maybe just ask you to go, especially the groom, to go and clear the fields, to cut the trees in the fields, you know, to the parents, to the in-laws, the parents of the woman one intended or wanted to marry. They did that to show that the man who wanted to marry their daughter was going to be able to work and take care of their daughter because he was not a lazy man. On the streets, opinions are divided. Some argue regulation would help, others insist families should decide. I think bride price should not be regulated. When it comes to the issue of paying salamu and bride price, as we call it in English, it's something to do with the family. And I feel when the government comes in, it might be a problem. It should actually be regulated. Looking at how commercialized it has become now, I believe it should be reduced because we have to maintain the values that were behind establishing that. Bride price is not meant to be commercialized. Even when families are suggesting the bride price, they are not supposed to put a price that is commercial, that will come out like it's commercialized. It should be reduced because if it is done that way, you will see a lot of young men marry. They will marry genuinely, there will be genuine love, there will be understanding, and there will be something to do with the parents being peaceful and polite. Zambians are searching for balance, preserving tradition without turning marriage into a financial burden.

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