Bride price: Museveni tells Banyankole to stop selling their girls

What the report says

President Yoweri Museveni used a traditional Okuhingira ceremony in Kiruhura district to urge Banyankole families to scale back bride price demands, saying large requests for cows and cash are turning marriage into a costly transaction and discouraging young people from marrying. The remarks came during the celebration for Kisha Isabel Byanjeru Kaboyo, daughter of Minister of State Alice Kaboyo, who was honored by the President for her long service to the National Resistance Movement and her support to his family over many years.

According to The Observer, Museveni argued that the cultural purpose of Okuhingira should be to unite families and bless a couple, not to place financial pressure on newlyweds. He also criticized lavish weddings and said he had married First Lady Janet Museveni in a small ceremony, using that example to encourage simpler celebrations. He called on religious leaders to speak about the issue in their preaching.

The President’s comments add to a broader debate in Uganda about bride price and wedding costs, especially in communities where cattle have traditionally been part of marriage arrangements. In his remarks, he also praised settled dairy farming in the cattle corridor and raised concerns about water systems, including Kakyeera and the River Rwizi, which he said should be protected through stakeholder discussions. Vice President Jessica Alupo attended and congratulated the couple, while prayers at the end of the ceremony emphasized patience, forgiveness and understanding in marriage.