In Mashonaland Central, some traditional leaders have
started imposing penalties of two beasts and two goats against offenders in
their customary courts and believe this is starting to bear fruit with fewer of
the illegal marriages now being arranged.
In an interview, Chiefs Council president Fortune
Charumbira said as traditional leaders, they will be playing an integral role
given that most of these marriages took place within customary communities.
“As traditional leaders we condemn in the strongest terms
any child marriage. The practice is not just unlawful in terms of the laws of
the country but is not consistent with our traditional norms and values which
we superintend.
“As custodians of traditional values, we have to stamp our
authority by imposing heavy fines to show how society frowns at the practice,”
said Chief Charumbira.
His remarks come as traditional leaders in Bindura are
working together in fighting child marriages through imposing stiffer
penalties.
In an interview Chief Masembura (Mr Ishmael Kagande) said
it was painful to see a normal man marrying an underage girl. He is working
with village heads in his area to ensure that sexual abuse of young girls is
totally eliminated.
“I do not tolerate such nonsense. How can a real normal man
enter into a relationship with a young girl, disturbing her life and rights as
well.
“In my jurisdiction here in Masembura, you will compensate
with two beasts and two goats. Statistics have indicated that this penalty has
totally eliminated this practice and I will continue doing this to the
heartless people who do not value the girl child,” said Chief Masembura.
Chief Masembura argued that society should value young
girls and give them a chance to grow for the betterment of the nation.
In many communities where child marriages are common, girls
are not valued as much as boys and they are widely perceived as a liability by
their families.
In Parliament this week, legislators were keen to expedite
the passage of the Guardianship of Minors Amendment Bill that, as a procedural
issue bringing the Act into line with the Constitution – which already bars
people under 18 from marrying, removes the right of parents to consent to
any marriage.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi
Ziyambi yesterday took the Bill through the second reading in the National
Assembly where he appealed to legislators to pass the proposed law.
The Bill seeks to amend the Guardianship of Minors Act and
among a number of measures will remove references to parents consenting to
marriages of minor children.
When people could marry at 16 the law demanded that parents
consented to the marriage of children under 18, but that need was misread as
power to arrange such a marriage.
Minister Ziyambi said it was critical to pass the Bill to
ensure the protection of children against early marriages.
The issue of child marriages has come under the spotlight
following the death of 14-year-old Anna Machaya at a Johanne Marange Apostolic
Sect shrine in Marange recently.
Hatirarame Momberume (26) has now been arrested for
engaging in sexual acts with a child under the age of consent while the late
Anna’s parents, Edmore Machaya and Shy Mabika, are facing obstruction of
justice charges for their attempts to try and misrepresent that the dead girl
was her 22-year-old cousin Memory, who police have found to be alive.
The parents might face further charges as they are alleged
to have pledged their nine-year-old daughter to Momberume.
Zimbabweans, when drafting and approving their Constitution
decided that everyone had to wait until they were an adult before they were
mature enough to decide who they wanted to marry. Herald
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