Chief Chiduku Urges People Not To Report Child Marriages, Because ‘Its Against Local Culture’

MAKONI: A traditional leader last Thursday surprised an anti-child marriages meeting when he openly discouraged reporting of perpetrators to the police saying this was against local culture.

The chief also said waiting for girls to reach 18 before they are married off was mot “practical” as the economy was tough and marriage was a way out of abject poverty for many poor families.

Chief Chiduku was speaking at a community dialogue held in the district as part of a campaign to end child marriages.

The government has pushed tough measures against child marriages with health minister David Parirenyatwa recently saying parents involved in such cases should be arrested.

He told his subjects that it was a violation of local culture to involve police in such matters, saying “it is our responsibility to deal with such matters”.

Chief Chiduku made the remarks after ZRP officers from Victim Friendly Unit who attended the meeting encouraged locals to report such incidences to the police.

Officials from government and civic society also attended the meeting.

“We should not report such matters to the police because we are a family,” said the chief.

“If we report such cases to police as chiefs how do you expect us to survive. Who is going to give us token of appreciation?”

He said it was impossible for locals to wait until a girl reaches 18 years as required by the law to be married, saying they were in living in abject poverty and were in need of quick cash to sustain themselves.

A local headman identified as Mukamba cited an example of a traffic light saying: “If a robot remains red for two hours a driver cannot wait for those hours.

“He just passes through a red robot”.

Mukamba was however, jeered by the community who accused the local traditional leadership of greedy and cruel.

“These traditional leaders are fuelling early child marriages because of greediness.

“Many cases are being swept under the carpet because they threaten people. Police should arrest them,” said Gertrude Mutasa, 36.

Orange Day is commemorated internationally on the 25th of every month to facilitate dialogue with members of the local community and spearheading campaigns to end child marriages.

In Zimbabwe, the Women Affairs Ministry organises events across the country to concertize the public about the dangers of early child marriages. source-newzimbabwe