What are your thoughts on modern roora lists in Zimbabwe?

[Tafadzwa Twabam]

Long ago in the old days, the customary marriage tradition in Zimbabwe was streamlined and there weren't long roora lists than it is today where a son-in-law (mukwasha) has to jump through hoops dealing with all kinds of complexities and sometimes having to run around in circles to meet the demands of his father-in-law (vatezvara) or mother-in-law (vamwene).

So my question is: should there be a government-regulated bride price as a means to tackle the greed-driven motives associated with some people using the customary token of appreciation (rovora or lobola) as a means to amass wealth instead of simply joining two families together (kubatanidza mhuri).

 

[Shamiso]

Well, y'all gots to forgive me if I am wrong, but the last time I checked the Zimbabwean government is a synonym of ZANU–PF unless there is a newly revised thesaurus in circulation, as it were, and thus prompting us to be re-educated.

Still and all, are you in any way suggesting ALL bride prices should be regulated by ZANU–PF?

If that's the case, Lawd have mercy, abeg!

It's not like ordinary Zimbos outside of ZANU–PF's Politburo and the close-knit Central Committee have a voice in anything even if a referendum was made.

 

[Tafadzwa Twabam]

Well, y'all gots to forgive me if I am wrong, but the last time I checked the Zimbabwean government is a synonym of ZANU–PF unless there is a newly revised thesaurus in circulation, as it were, and thus prompting us to be re-educated.

Still and all, are you in any way suggesting ALL bride prices should be regulated by ZANU–PF?

If that's the case, Lawd have mercy, abeg!

It's not like ordinary Zimbos outside of ZANU–PF's Politburo and the close-knit Central Committee have a voice in anything even if a referendum was made.

What DOES this have anything to do with politics in Zim though?

 

[Shamiso]

What DOES this have anything to do with politics in Zim though?

@Tafadzwa Twabam you proposed if roora should be government-regulated so it has EVERYTHING to do with Zim politics unless you are now trying to twist your own words and change the narrative, that is.

Furthermore, let us imagine the government-regulated matsvagirano ("bride price") is set at $10,000 U.S. dollars how feasible will that be to an average Zimbo who gets paid in a pittance of Zim Kwacha?

 

[Borrowdale Barron]

@Tafadzwa Twabam I'm sorry to say, but anything to do with lobola in the Republic of Zimbabwe, you ought to blame it on Masvingo Province, that's the problem!!!

You can't convince me otherwise on that matter! ?

 

[Chidinma]

@Tafadzwa Twabam I have mixed thoughts about regulating roora grocery lists, rusambo, and et cetera.

Folks in Zimbabwe practice different cultural traditions based on their tribe e.g. Ndebele, Zezuru, Korekore, Manyika, Ndau, and vaKaranga.

Therefore some individuals wish to maintain the status quo (id est, certain cultural traditions) as heritage or for whatever reason.

However, regulating or even abolishing lobola might reduce cases of GBV (gender-based violence).

Because the ongoing commercialization of rovora into a business contributes to how some men view their wives as property (id est, human chattel) since their rationale will be fueled by them having to cough up huge sums of money in respect to matsvagirano and danga.

 

[Tafadzwa Twabam]

@Tafadzwa Twabam I'm sorry to say, but anything to do with lobola in the Republic of Zimbabwe, you ought to blame it on Masvingo Province, that's the problem!!!

You can't convince me otherwise on that matter! ?

What's wrong with Masvingo Province?

 

[Borrowdale Barron]

What's wrong with Masvingo Province?

Dem charge tew moch moni wey dey kaal rugaba dong dere.

 

[Tafadzwa Twabam]

@Tafadzwa Twabam you proposed if roora should be government-regulated so it has everything to do with Zim politics unless you are now trying to twist your own words and change the narrative, that is.

Furthermore, let us imagine the government-regulated matsvagirano ("bride price") is set at $10,000 U.S. dollars how feasible will that be to an average Zimbo who gets paid in a pittance of Zim Kwacha?

@Shamiso I don't think the government (or ZANU–PF Central Committee as you call it) would put into law such a high amount of matsvagirano because it's just not logical at all.

If you say the maximum rovora payment should not exceed an amount of $10,000 U.S. dollars then you'd be talking sense.

 

[Bombastus]

In order to put into place any government regulation, there should always be a set of criteria as a method to determine the appropriate measures to be taken.

What I am saying is: what conditions should be evaluated to reach a reasonable bride token that Zimbos can all agree with?

 

[Munyaradzi Mafaro]

In order to put into place any government regulation, there should always be a set of criteria as a method to determine the appropriate measures to be taken.

What I am saying is: what conditions should be evaluated to reach a reasonable bride token that Zimbos can all agree with?

What you are asking is too subjective and it relates to what @Chidinma pointed out about different views ranging from people of different clans (i.e. Ndebele, Zezuru, Korekore, Manyika, Ndau, and vaKaranga).

For example, if a woman has children outside of wanano (e.g. mvana) some Zimbabwean men will argue they should pay less for her in rusambo in contrast to a woman who doesn't have a pickney or multiple children by multiple baby daddies.

Another argument is the number of times a woman has been married followed by yet another argument of how educated that woman is, coupled with her cooking & cleaning skills, and finally whether that woman is a virgin or not.

And of course, the last argument is controversial because the son-in-law himself (mukuwasha wacho) might not be a virgin either but deep down he expects a discount—yes I know... LMAO! ?

 

[Tafadzwa Twabam]

What you are asking is too subjective and it relates to what @Chidinma pointed out about different views ranging from people of different clans (i.e. Ndebele, Zezuru, Korekore, Manyika, Ndau, and vaKaranga).

For example, if a woman has children outside of wanano (e.g. mvana) some Zimbabwean men will argue they should pay less for her in rusambo in contrast to a woman who doesn't have a pickney or multiple children by multiple baby daddies.

Another argument is the number of times a woman has been married followed by yet another argument of how educated that woman is, coupled with her cooking & cleaning skills, and finally whether that woman is a virgin or not.

And of course, the last argument is controversial because the son-in-law himself (mukuwasha wacho) might not be a virgin either but deep down he expects a discount—yes I know... LMAO! ?

@Munyaradzi Mafaro the level of education a woman has what impact does it have on lobola and why should it even matter because that doesn't guarantee a long-lasting marriage if we are to apply common sense?

 

[Chidinma]

The level of education a woman has what impact does it have on lobola and why should it even matter because that doesn't guarantee a long-lasting marriage if we are to apply common sense?

Some folks have a propensity to charge more money in rugaba especially if their daughter has a Ph.D. or a Master's degree since they would've paid for it themselves.

Hence lobola to them is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to recoup those accrued expenses.

And that's the logic behind why roora prices will go up if a daughter is a learned woman from a reputable university. Worse still if she is an accomplished corporate executive it will be as if wanzi ripa ngozi.

Nevertheless, you are right to say being college-educated isn't an assurance of long-lasting matrimony.

 

[Mpumelelo von Mumhanzi]

@Shamiso I don't think the government (or ZANU–PF as you call it) would put into law such a high amount of matsvagirano because it's just not logical at all.

If you say the maximum rovora payment should not exceed an amount of $10,000 U.S. dollars (USD) then you'd be talking sense.

@Bombastus @Munyaradzi Mafaro government intervention into how any roora ceremony should be conducted and the idea of setting min and max payments of bridewealth is outright problematic.

There are also some women who seek to get married into a rich family as a means to uplift their own family too—you may call it hypergamy, that's all up to you.

But best believe there is no Zim career politician who is prepared to risk it all by proposing anything like: "roora regulation."

It will lead to instant political suicide resulting in them losing widespread support from people, particularly men with daughters.

For example, if the minimum and maximum bridewealth is set between $1,000 and $10,000 U.S. dollars respectively.

What will happen is all fathers-in-law have no option but to charge up to $10,000 U.S. dollars.

Now suppose the son-in-law isn't your average pombi yadhona, but rather a mbingaldo—a multi-millionaire!

Do y'all really think any father-in-law will be happy to ONLY receive bridewealth up to $10,000 U.S. dollars just because the Zimbabwean government says so?

 

[Bla Jedza]

@Mpumelelo von Mumhanzi In supplementary to what you have said if a woman cheats on her husband it's literary impossible in Dzimbabwe for a man to recoup all the money he paid as rovora.

I am not gwine to even bother expagorating a situation of a woman getting married to a mbingaldo because the higher the bride token the more difficult it will be to get it back even if there was government regulation because the max value might be higher than your example of $10,000 USD.

I will just finish off by saying nof piipl dey squander lobola laik dere dey nuh tumaro!

 

[Numero Uno]

Wetin di yuujal roora process laik for Dzimbabwe?

 

[Queen]

Wetin di yuujal roora process laik for Dzimbabwe?

@Numero Uno there is no definitive roora process in Dzimbabwe.

It varies from family to family and from tribe to tribe because some roora stages are deliberately skipped or sometimes blended together as one amalgam

But here is a non-exhaustive quick rundown about a basic roora procedure:

ChiShona	English
Vhura muromo	A minor payment to initiate the whole roora process.
Makandinzwa nani	A payment of knowing the father-in-law's daughter.
Matekenya ndebvu	Father-in-law's compensation for having his beard played with.
Mapfukidza dumbu and Mbereko	Mother-in-law's compensation for her striae gravidarum and child-rearing.
Zvitakurwa	Shopping list (or groceries).
Mabhachi (or Majasi)	Garments for both the father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Yedare	Compensation to all males gathered at a roora ceremony.
Matsvagirano (Rugaba or Rusambo)	A large sum of money to make the traditional marriage official.
Danga	The number of cattle to be purchased.