Minister Ziyambi clarifies on Marriage Act misconceptions
THE Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi has clarified that the new Marriage Act of 2022 does not promote polygamy, polyandry or abolish the payment of lobola.
The government consolidated the Marriage Act in 2022 into a single legislation governing all legally recognised marriages.
Despite its progressive intentions, the Act however faced misinformation campaigns with some individuals claiming that the act promotes polygamy, polyandry and abolishes payment of lobola.
However, in a media briefing this Friday, Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi disputed the claims.
He said, “The new Act did not and does not alter the erstwhile requirements for a valid civil or registered customary law marriage, save to the limited extent of placing a complete prohibition on child marriages, thus bringing our marriage laws into conformity with section 78(1)(a) of the Constitution, which prescribes the minimum age of marriage as 18 years.
To this end, it is important to point out that the payment of roora/lobola or marriage consideration remains a requirement for customary law marriages.”
Honourable Ziyambi further explains some of the provisions of the Marriage Act.
“The civil marriage (monogamous, one man – one wife); the registered customary law marriage (polygamous or potentially polygamous contracted between adult Africans) and the qualified civil marriage (polygamous or potentially polygamous – in the main catering for adherents of the Islamic faith). The latter type of marriage is a new inclusion to the country’s marriage laws.”
The government is currently conducting marriage law awareness community outreach programmes to ensure citizens are well-informed about their rights and responsibilities under the new legal framework. zbc.co.zw
