Lobola and gender based violence: a case of married women in Lusaka’s Kamanga compound.

This study investigates the influence of lobola on gender based violence among married women in
Lusaka’s Kamanga compound. Specifically, it sought to examine how the price of lobola is
determined when negotiating for marriage; to establish how married women and men perceive lobola
in relation to gender based violence; and determine the types of gender based violence perceived to be
mostly associated with the payment of lobola in marriage. The study used mixed methods combining
quantitative and qualitative methods, though it had more lining on the qualitative. The main interest
was to gain deeper insights and explanations based on peoples’ lived experiences in their own context.
On the quantitative side, a survey questionnaire was administered to 150 people (75 married men and
75 married women). Respondents in the survey were selected using systematic sampling. The
qualitative component used 21 participants who were purposively selected. These comprised two
focus group discussions; one group with 8 married women and another with 8 married men. In
addition, in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were conducted with 5 key
informants. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software was used to analyse
quantitative data while qualitative data was analysed thematically.
The findings on the determinants of the pricing of lobola payment revealed a number of
considerations including the ethnic background of both the bride and the groom, the bride’s level of
education, the need to meet costs associated to the girl’s upbringing, the groom’s status, and the
virginity of a bride among others. Findings also show the pricing of lobola even drifting to involve
fundraising for kitchen parties for the bride as well as raising money to pay marriage counsellors. On
how married women and men perceive lobola in relation to gender based violence, findings suggest
that paying lobola translates into buying a wife and as such she becomes a husband’s property. Lobola
gives the man powers to treat the wife as he wishes including subjecting her to sexual and other forms
of abuse. It seems to take away a wife’s rights to make decisions on matters affecting her own life
including restricting her movements, what to wear and depriving her a claim over her children among
others. The study revealed emotional, economic, sexual and physical violence as the common types of
gender based violence that married women are subjected to as a result of lobola. The study
recommends that the Ministries of Justice, Gender and Local Government should look deeply into the
issue of lobola to correct practices and reprimand those who do not adhere to its significance. Civil
society should also lobby government to enact appropriate laws and policies to deal with patriarchy
and help married women to enjoy their rights as human beings.
Key words: Gender, gender based violence and lobola