'Law prohibits marriage of children under 18 years'

Transparent International Zimbabwe legal officer Tracy Mutowekuziva-Mafa urged the government to deploy Community workers to educate and monitor the girl child in rural areas to avoid early child marriages.

Speaking to Wasu Post on Monday this week Tracy said Police should be informed on the early marriages which are happening so that they brought the perpetrators to book.

She said, "We now have a law in place that prohibits marriage of children under 18 years. Police should be informed on child marriages case so that the law may take its course.

"More so, Social Welfare should put more effort in supporting families especially during this time of Covid 19 because these child marriages are mainly caused by hunger.

"The government should also deploy Community Care workers so that they occupy children with programs, monitor the situation on the ground and educating the girl child on these abuse cases."

Tracy said the above after an incident whereby three women tried to force a 14 Year old girl into marriage in Chavhanga Mutasa North.

It is alleged that Mrs Kubare and her accomplices who is her daughter in law and another lady whose name was not mentioned called the 14 year old girl years pretending  to sent her.

Later on the girl was told that she is going to be given to a husband. The girl refused and she run away to her parents. The case was  reported  to the headman Abraham Mashirisho by her parents and the trio accepted their case. The Headman advice  them to go and try to settle it for themselves.

Last week, H Metro published about a 14 year old girl died in Labour at an unnamed apostolic sect in Bocha Marange.