Latwell Nyangu
IS it culturally or morally wrong to demand lobola back after divorcing?
This has become topical after a Harare man demanded lobola from his in-laws, accusing them of concealing the fact that his wife couldn’t conceive.
Below are some of our readers’ comments:
“A marriage is a contract and if one of those elements of a voidable contract are present, then at law, it is a nullity. In this case there was the element of misrepresentation, that is falsely uttering (fraudulent misrepresentation) or concealing (misrepresentation in silence) a statement of material fact to create a false impression which induced the other part to contract.
“The husband has to prove that, what they misrepresented was of material importance which is the inability to conceive is of material importance since the primary goal of marriage is to procreate, if he had known of the wife’s incapability he would not have married her and either the relatives or the wife knew about the condition before the marriage.-Journalist and law student, Mlondolozi Ndlovu
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According to the article her family knew about her condition. The best that they could have done was be honest. If they had been honest, he might probably have married her anyway. The man has a solid argument. – Leopold Kudakwashe Munhende.
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The lady should have told her partner not parents. She was having periods then stopped just one year into her affair with this dude. Why should things you do for each other, while in love, be returned, unless it was an arranged marriage with a signed agreement that if you can’t get pregnant in five months, we are divorcing. This dude is just crazy. He says he paid lobola for her ane problem. What if the problem was caused by him because he says they dated for four years, and she stopped menstruating a year into their affair? His argument doesn’t hold water for me. – Buhle Ncube.
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It’s sad that in our society, barrenness is blamed on women. What if murume ndiye ari barren? I hope the man got examined and has proof that he is not infertile. Zvinotora makore asi chokwadi chinozongobuda pachena kuti ane problem ndiani. – Liliosa Tariro Guta.
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Kindly forgive them, take back your wife and talk to God about this issue. Mari hayo haina basa, imagine how much you lost apart from this US$7 000? God has the perfect timing, He is never late or too early, but He is always on time. God’s time remains the best and when it’s God’s time, He will make it happen. Take back your wife, remember love comes from the heart. Take her back and God will surprise you. – Ministerr MC.
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Zvakashata asi kuhwandisa chokwadi, but at the same time haurooreri munhu kuzvarirwa. Mwana chipo chinobva kunaMwari. Kana ukasamuwana ehe zvinorwadza asi harisiro donzvo rekuroorera munhu. God may be setting up a testimony for you. – Marc Zoro.