Mama Samia Legal Aid team condemns arbitrary divorces

SUMBAWANGA, RUKWA: MARRIED couples have been urged to avoid granting divorces recklessly to protect their fundamental rights, including property division and child custody.

This call was made by a team of lawyers from the Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign (MSLAC) while providing legal aid services to residents of Utinta Village, located in Korongwe Ward, Nkasi District in Rukwa Region.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Meshack John, a legal assistant from the Legal and Social Welfare Department of Nkasi District, stated that informal separations without legal proceedings can lead to the loss of rights, including fair distribution of property based on each spouse’s contribution.

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Meshack emphasized that all divorces should go through the court, as it is the only institution recognized by the government with the authority to grant legal separation.

John also urged village and neighborhood leaders, as well as mediation councils, to refrain from handling divorces, stressing that their role should only be to mediate disputes and guide couples to seek legal proceedings in court.

The coordinator of the team in Nkasi District, Roggers Ndyanabo from the Law Leadership College in Lushoto, highlighted that the government recognizes four types of marriages: monogamous marriages, polygamous marriages, civil marriages, and customary marriages.