Kachindamoto terminates 330 teenage marriages
In an effort to encourage girls’ education and abolish early marriages, Inkosi Kachindamoto of Dedza has terminated 330 teenage marriages in her area.
She has since sent the couples to various primary and secondary schools.
in my area
Her initiative coincides with government agenda to end early marriages following the enactment of Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill which, among others, restricts girls from getting married before attaining 18 years of age.
She said: “I have terminated 330 marriages, of which 175 were girl-wives and 155 were boy-fathers. I wanted them to go back to school and that has worked.”
Realising that three quarters of the marriages were consented to by both parents and village heads, the chief has since suspended village heads Galuanenenji, Adiliyani, Kalindiza and Chatawa as a lesson to other village leaders.
She said: “No village head or church clergy should officiate marriage in her area before scrutinising the birth dates of the couple.”
