Former Minister says let’s get rid of polygamous marriages

One of the most powerful women in the Movement for Democratic Change, Paurina Mpariwa, says Zimbabwe should get rid of polygamous marriages arguing that it is very good to have “one man one woman marriages”.

Contributing to the motion calling on Zimbabwe to adopt the Southern African Development Community Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriages monogamous marriages would protect children from getting married to older men who were already married while adopting the law would make sure that those who married under-age children would be prosecuted.

The idea was first mooted by her colleague Innocent Gonese who called on fellow legislators to lead by example by sticking to one-man one-wife.

Mpariwa was Minister of Labour and Social Welfare during the inclusive government.

Full contribution:

*HON. MPARIWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank Hon. Gonese who is a member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and I want to thank the Zimbabwean delegation for agreeing with all members at the SADC Parliamentary Forum that we also need that law. I think it is a very good thing that as Zimbabwe we should be the first country to have a law that touches on children to incorporate the law that came from SADC.  I know that we are a champion in all these laws, so I am appealing to Hon. Vice President and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, on the plea that was given by Hon. Gonese, that we should fast track the law so that those who marry young children should be prosecuted under the law.

Hon. Speaker, you are aware that in our Constitution, we have human rights and child rights, but if we do not include this, children are no longer going to school.  Children are not able to do what they want in life.  When children are married when they are under age, they do not have any rights because they would have been forced into marriage.  This is coming in after we have talked about the 16 days of activism against gender violence.  This is one of the violence which is fatal because if a child gets married at a young age, she is not aware of what she is supposed to do.

When Hon. Gonese touched on the issue that every woman should have a marriage solemnised under Chapter 5:11 of the Marriages Act – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – There is a lot of noise Hon. Speaker, can you protect me.

THE ACTING SPEAKER: Hon. Members, can the Member be heard in silence.

 HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I was thinking that we should have one marriage law so that we get rid of polygamous marriages – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – one Hon. Member talked about it, that we should have one man-one wife marriages, it is very good – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

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