Zimbabwe suspends marriages indefinitely

SCORES of couples intending to tie the knot at the magistrates' courts in most parts of the country yesterday went home disappointed after they were told that marriages had been suspended indefinitely.

No marriages took place at the Bulawayo, Western Commonage, Beitbridge and Gweru magistrates' courts as court officials said they were given a directive in the form of a memorandum from the Registrar General's Office to suspend marriages indefinitely.

Midlands's provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa confirmed that they had received a directive to suspend conducting marriages until they receive the new marriage certificates.

Couples, some from far away places and even from outside the country, had turned up to tie the knot but were shocked when they got to the Bulawayo Civil Court housed at Tredgold Building only to be told that no marriages were taking place.

A total of 20 couples were supposed to tie the knot yesterday at the Bulawayo magistrates' courts while other couples were also turned away from the Western Commonage magistrates' courts.

A family whose daughter had travelled from neighbouring South Africa and was supposed to tie the knot at the Western Commonage magistrates' courts said court officials explained to them the reasons for the suspension of marriages.

A family spokesperson said despite the couple having failed to tie the knot the family decided to go ahead with the wedding ceremony, saying the issue of the certificate would follow later.

In Beitbridge no marriages took place yesterday as the last weddings were conducted on Thursday before the court officials received the directive to suspend marriages.

In Zimbabwe, the marriage institution is treated with great respect and people pour in large sums of money in preparations.

"We got a directive to suspend marriages until further notice," said a judicial officer in Bulawayo, who declined to be named for professional reasons.

Weddings at the magistrates' courts usually take place on Tuesdays and Fridays, but most couples prefer Fridays so that they go partying afterwards.

The RG's Office this week unveiled a new marriage certificate as part of measures to curb marriages of convenience.

The highly-securitised marriage certificate came into force with immediate effect.

Addressing marriage officers in Harare on Tuesday, the Registrar-General, Mr Tobaiwa Mudede said no grace period would be given to the marriage officers to continue using the old marriage certificates.

He said the new document had security features, making counterfeiting impossible.

It also has space for full names and national identity numbers for witnesses and marriage officer's date stamp.

"We are fighting this nuisance of marriages of convenience. Marriage officers will have to comply with this and, if you don't, the jail is waiting for you," Mr Mudede warned then.

He said Zimbabwe was the  first in the world to fight marriages  of convenience, adding that the  new certificate was a securitised document that cannot be forged.

He said the new certificates were ready for collection at his office while others would be sent to provincial offices countrywide.