Frank Gashumba is calling on parents to ease the financial pressure they place on young people during bride price and Kwanjula ceremonies, arguing that couples should only contribute what they can reasonably afford.
The social and political analyst said marriage introductions should bring families together rather than leave young couples struggling under the weight of expensive demands.
Gashumba specifically questioned the practice of arriving at Kwanjula ceremonies with costly household items such as sofa sets, boda-bodas, refrigerators and cookers.
“Parents should stop putting children under pressure over bride price. Let the children bring what they can afford,” Gashumba said.
He added that when a man arrives at an introduction ceremony with a lorry loaded with household property and other expensive items, the traditional purpose of the occasion can be overshadowed by the value of the goods being presented.
For Gashumba, the emphasis should instead remain on the couple and the families being brought together.
His comments come amid broader conversations around the financial expectations attached to marriage ceremonies, particularly when young couples are expected to meet demands that may stretch their resources.
Gashumba argued that the value of a marriage should not be measured by how much property is displayed at the introduction ceremony. Instead, he said, what matters is whether the couple can build a happy and peaceful life together.
“Personally, what I consider is seeing two people being happy and loving each other peacefully,” he said.
The remarks put the spotlight on the contrast between the traditional significance of Kwanjula and the increasingly elaborate ceremonies some families choose to organize.
For Gashumba, however, the ceremony should ultimately serve its central purpose: bringing two families together without placing unnecessary financial strain on the people beginning the marriage.