This archive report was first published on 30 October 2019.
Tanzanian Official Orders Arrest and Jailing of Couples Who Refuse to Marry ¶
On October 28, 2019, the District Commissioner (DC) of Ludewa, Tanzania, Andrea Tsele, ordered the arrest and jailing of couples who refuse to marry, citing the country's marriage laws.
According to Tsele, men in the area have been using a tactic to get women to accept them as husbands, then abandoning them after getting them pregnant. This, he claims, has contributed to the high number of street children in the area.
Tsele also stated that couples who refuse to marry and have children are considered criminals and will be arrested and jailed.
The Tanzanian Marriage Act of 1971 states that any man and woman who live together as husband and wife for more than two years without registering their marriage are considered to be in an unlawful relationship.
"There is no other way to make a woman live with a man, but it will be a competition for the married man who has not registered his marriage," Tsele said.
He also stated that the jail is a place for humans, not animals, and that resources have been invested in building the jail, so humans must use it.
"Some humans who are supposed to be imprisoned are those who refuse to register their marriage while living together as husband and wife," Tsele added.
The move has sparked controversy, with many questioning the legality of the order and the impact it will have on couples who refuse to marry.
