admin
Walter Nyamukondiwa
Kariba Bureau
Chiefs in Kariba district have resolved to impose hefty penalties on people who marry off under age girls or fail to report such practices, or in a bid to eliminate the vice.
The measures, to be taken under provisions allowing traditional leaders to impose penalties for misdemeanour’s in communities, will be over and above criminal processes that will follow the unearthing of cases where under age girls are married off.
Indications are that most cases of under age marriages in Kariba district are going unreported as shown by the few cases being handled by police, despite a surge in instances where young girls are dropping out of school, many of them due to pregnancy.
About 107 girls had dropped out of school by June this year, with 54 cases being of under age girls that were reportedly married.
So far, only two cases have been reported to police this year and are at various stages in criminal courts. Chiefs Negande, Msampakaruma, Nebiri and Mola, have since resolved to impose punitive penalties on anyone that does not reporting child marriages.
The resolution came out at a recent workshop in Siakobvu, which was organised by the Tony Waite Organisation.
Chief Nebiri said while the traditional selection of brides for chiefs involved identifying a girl at birth, advances to marriage would only be possible when she reaches 18 years.
“As chiefs, traditionally we get a woman befitting the position of a chief,” said Chief Nebiri.
“We are against child marriages and as chiefs we have resolved that anyone who marries an under age girl or hides such a marriage, will automatically be fined.”
Chief Negande said such cases go unreported and are secretly dealt with by families without involving authorities including traditional leaders.
To end such cases, Chief Negande said there was need to have people going before the chief and have punitive fines imposed.
“It will be an issue resolved by chiefs in the same way as a person who tends their field on a sacred day,” said Chief Negande.
Kariba District Development Coordinator Mr Shepherd Marweyi said the family was key to ending child marriages.
“Everything starts at the family level. If we don’t get parents that accept money or agree to have underage girls married or failing to report a clear case of rape in terms of our laws, then we will not be able to end the problem of child marriages,” said Mr Marweyi.
A roadmap has been developed where chiefs would engage their headmen by this month end.
The headmen in turn meet villagers before a report back meeting by the end of November.
Some parents were reluctant to report such cases, questioning what they would benefit from having the man arrested while they remained with the child to pick up the pieces.
Tony Waite Organisation director Mrs Ellen Vengere said girls should remain in school as it offers them a realistic chance of making it in life.
Online Reporter