By Isaac Zulu
Chief Makasa of the Bemba speaking people in Mungwi district has bemoaned the high number of early marriages in his Chiefdom.
In an interview with Daily Revelation, Chief Makasa attributed the high prevalence of child marriage cases in his Chiefdom to high poverty levels and lack of awareness on the vice.
“The number of early marriages in my Chiefdom have reached alarming levels. And one of the contributing factors to this vice is primitivity and high poverty levels. There’s a lot of primitivity among our people here,” Chief Makasa said.
He explained that the traditional leadership has been pursuing parents that have been marrying off their children at a tender age so that they can be punished, but the challenge is that the young people that have been engaging in early marriages go into hiding.
He has warned that those will be found marrying of their children will be punished.
“This time around I want to sound a stern warning that those that will be found marrying off their children in my Chiefdom when they are still young, will face severe punishment. We cannot continue having a girl aged 15 getting married to a boy child who is 16 or 17 years old,” Chief Makasa said.
He called for concerted efforts in the fight against Gender Based Violence in his Chiefdom.
“We cannot continue witnessing Gender Based Violence cases escalating in the Chiefdom and the country, at large. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders to devise ways and means of addressing the challenge of early marriages in the country. And I am glad to note that in Mungwi district, we have a One Gender Based Stop Centre that is championing that cause. The police, health personnel, NGOs, traditional leadership and the Church have been involved in the fight against Gender Based Violence. The Church should use the pulpit to speak against Gender Based Violence and child marriages. It is a multi sectoral approach,” said Chief Makasa.
