We asked: In your opinion, what is the fair lobola price (rusambo) for a 25-year-old lady with a degree in Zimbabwe?
Total votes: 298
Poll Results:
$1,000 → 97 votes (32.6%)
$3,000 → 84 votes (28.2%)
$5,000 → 44 votes (14.8%)
$2,000 → 34 votes (11.4%)
$10,000 and above → 19 votes (6.4%)
$4,000 → 8 votes (2.7%)
$6,000 → 7 votes (2.3%)
$7,000 → 3 votes (1.0%)
$9,000 → 2 votes (0.7%)
$8,000 → 0 votes (0.0%)
Key Findings:
Men Prefer Low Lobola: With the ZimLedger audience being approximately 70% male, the results heavily reflect men’s preferences. The top choice of $1,000 (32.6%) and strong support for $3,000 (28.2%) show that Zimbabwean men clearly prefer affordable lobola amounts rather than expensive traditional demands.
Audience is Divided: No single amount achieves majority support, with the top choice capturing only 32.6% and the second place at 28.2%. This division shows significant disagreement about fair lobola pricing, though the lower range clearly dominates overall preferences.
Lower Range Dominates: Combined, $1,000-$3,000 represents 72.2% of responses, indicating most respondents (predominantly male) favor moderate lobola amounts that will not financially burden grooms, even when marrying educated women.
Average Lobola Price: Calculating the weighted average from the poll results (using $10,000 for the “$10,000 and above” category):
($1,000×97 + $2,000×34 + $3,000×84 + $4,000×8 + $5,000×44 + $6,000×7 + $7,000×3 + $8,000×0 + $9,000×2 + $10,000×19) ÷ 298 = $3,154
What This Means:
The predominantly male audience’s preference for lower lobola amounts reflects economic reality and self-interest. Men do not want to pay high lobola for their wives, even when those women have university degrees. The 32.6% supporting just $1,000 shows many men believe lobola should be purely symbolic rather than financially significant, while the 28.2% supporting $3,000 represents those willing to pay moderately higher amounts without facing financial strain.
The division in responses shows that while men generally agree lobola should not be expensive, they disagree on exactly how low it should be. Some favor minimal amounts ($1,000-$2,000 at 44.0%), others support moderate prices ($3,000-$5,000 at 43.0%), and only a small minority (13.0%) believe amounts above $5,000 are fair.
The calculated average of $3,154 falls just above the second most popular choice of $3,000, suggesting that if forced to compromise, most men would accept lobola around $3,000 – a middle ground that acknowledges tradition and education without creating significant financial burden.
Key Takeaway:
Zimbabwean men clearly do not want to pay high lobola, with 72.2% favoring $1,000-$3,000 for a 25-year-old woman with a degree. The audience is divided on exact amounts, with $1,000 (32.6%) narrowly leading $3,000 (28.2%), but consensus exists against expensive lobola demands. The calculated average lobola price from the poll is $3,154, reflecting a pragmatic middle ground that balances cultural tradition with men’s preference for affordable marriage costs. Only 6.4% support $10,000 and above, showing that despite a bride’s education credentials, most men reject lobola prices that would create significant financial hardship.
ZimLedger
ZimLedger is the all in one business and finance platform for Zimbabwe. It generates quotes, invoices, payslips and financial statements, manages business ledgers, tracks income and expenses, and builds shopping lists. ZimLedger offers a simple yet powerful solution tailored to local needs. Whether you are budgeting in ZiG or USD, managing business accounts, converting Ecocash statements, or tracking household expenses, ZimLedger empowers you to stay organised, make informed financial decisions, and grow your wealth—right from your phone or computer.
