Authorities cancel wedding officiation, groom is underage

Authorities in Mzimba District have foiled officiation of a wedding of a couple from Traditional Authority (T/A) Chindi on the basis that the groom is underage.

The decision comes after the couple’s wedding invitation card recently went viral on social media.

In an interview yesterday, M’Mbelwa District Council spokesperson Joel Phiri said the families of the two lovebirds came up with an invitation card for the wedding of the boy aged 16 and a girl aged 18.

“Both are Standard Seven dropouts. So, we have foiled the marriage because the boy is a minor and according to Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, such would have been an illegal marriage,” he said.

Phiri said the multidisciplinary team comprising officers from police, social welfare and gender office established that the two planned to officiate their wedding on September 20 2023 at Jarawe CCAP Church.

He said the boy comes from Zitchoke Mgawadere Village, group village head Mpeyama Gondwe and the girl comes from Dumba Village, both in T/A Chindi.

“Through the multidisciplinary team, it was noted that parents from both sides were aware of the marriage and lobola had already been given to the bride’s family.

“We engaged the parents of the two and told them to call off the wedding as it was illegal. We asked them to send the boy and the girl to school instead. The bride’s family has since agreed to return the lobola [bride price] that they received,” said Phiri.

Mzimba district social welfare officer Bernard Nangwale said the planned officiation shows that many marriages involving underage children are happening secretly in communities.

“This tells us that as government and non-governmental organisations, we should intensify campaigns against child marriages,” he said.

Mzimba District Civil Society Organisations Network chairperson Christopher Melele commended the council for cancelling the officiation.