The Meru Supreme Council of Elders, popularly known as Njuri Ncheke, has moved in to suppress 'absurdly' growing dowry prices being demanded for women.
The council has since established that men are being asked for as high as Sh1 million by in-laws, and now seeks to regulate dowry prices for women of the community.
Through Secretary General in charge of operations Josephat Muragiri, Njuri Ncheke says that so high are the prices getting to an extent that they are becoming a hindrance to marriage.
“Dowry should never be the basis to prevent young men and women from getting lifetime partners,” he said on Wednesday as quoted by Standard.
Mr Murangiri spoke during a meeting to discuss the implementation of a county policy on sexual and gender based violence, also attended by Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi.
He said the elders will formulate a policy to return a sanctity of dowry among members of the community, which will clearly stipulate the modern value of what is demanded by in-laws.
“For example, if a family of the bride has demanded that their girl is worth 10 cows, we will stipulate how much one cow is worth rather than leave that interpretation to the parties in the marriage,” he added.
Governor Murungi urged the council to also help in taming the rising cases of gender based violence in the Meru region.