Government has widened the rank and file of marriage officers
to include traditional and religious leaders like Vapostori as it liberalises
the solemnisation of unions.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi
Ziyambi said the Marriages Act will be repealed and replaced with one
consolidated Marriages Amendment Bill which will criminalise marrying a girl
below the age of 18 and pledging of minors for marriage.
The Bill is part of a cocktail of civil and political
liberties being undertaken by President Mnangagwa under the Second Republic.
Minister Ziyambi said this yesterday while addressing
journalists during a post-Cabinet briefing that was chaired by Environment,
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was standing in
for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica
Mutsvangwa.
“We have also extended marriage officers to include chiefs
and other religious leaders, the Hindus, Moslems, Vapostori they are now
allowed to solemnise marriages in their religious sectors and these marriages
if there are more than one wife it will be regarded as customary marriage. We
have also now included civil partnership; they are now recognised in this Act.
What used to happen on dissolution of this partnership, the other partner was
losing out; so it is now recognised as a marriage for purposes of dissolution
of property when the partnership is dissolved,” said Minister Ziyambi.
He said Cabinet had approved the Marriages Amendment Bill
which will criminalise the marriage of children under the age of 18 years.
“Basically the major changes pertaining to the age of
marriage as you know we had a Constitutional Court judgment that said marriages
should be 18 years and above and we are going to operationalise that.
“This is to ensure that minors are protected and this will
extend not only to civil marriages but customary marriages and civil
partnership because others might try to circumvent the law,” said Minister
Ziyambi.
“The other major highlights is that it clearly outlaws the
pledging of children by anyone. This has clearly been put into the law. We have
also consolidated the marriage law; we no longer have two marriage laws but it
will state that the first one is the civil marriage and another one is
customary marriage.”
Earlier on, Minister Mupfumira said the Bill sought to
prohibit same-sex marriages and provided for free and full consent marriage by
intending partners.
Meanwhile, members of the apostolic sect have welcomed
Government’s decision to allow them to solemnise marriages.
Council of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe president Bishop
Clement Chisango said churches and traditional leaders had their own
traditional values which would be observed during solemnisation of marriages.
“It has been very difficult for most of us to solemnise
marriages because of the conditions imposed by the Registrar General’s office
and with these amendments on the horizon we are delighted by what our
Government is doing. We are indigenous churches with our own values and while
we will be bound by the law we also have our own values peculiar to our sect
hence the need to allow us preside over our members marriage ceremonies,” said
Bishop Chisango, who leads the Ebenezer Holy Apostolic Church.
Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs deputy president Chief Mtshana
Khumalo lauded the decision to allow traditional leaders to solemnise
marriages.
“People are travelling long distances. The proposed law
would obviously provide convenience particularly to those in the rural areas.
People are forking out a lot of money in transport and accommodation among
other related costs to go to the nearest city or town from rural areas.
Although we have not had sight of the Bill we support such initiatives,” said
Chief Khumalo
Bulawayo-based traditionalist Mr Pathisani Nyathi described
the development as positive.
“That is a positive development. It is only those who have
colonial mind who will oppose it.
“There are some people who believe that there is nothing
indigenous people can do. As a traditionalist, I heartily support it,” said Mr
Nyathi. Herald
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