Vapositori sect members are in trouble after the Constitutional Court today declared marriages of girls who are under the age of 18 years, illegal.
Leading a full bench of the Constitutional Court on Wednesday Justice Florence Ziyambi ruled that no woman or man can be married before attaining the age of 18.
The ruling comes after Tendai Biti a member of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had approached the Constitutional Court representing Loveness Mudzuru and Ruvimbo Tsopodzwa, who were married before the age of 18, and he was challenging that early marriages violate the country’s new constitution.
Justice Ziyambi said, “the application has succeeded and with effect from 20^th January 2016 registration of marriages under the age of 18 customarily or religiously is illegal and it is inconsistent with the constitution of Zimbabwe.”
Speaking to journalists after the land mark judgement Biti said he was happy to be part of “this history”.
“I think is an amazing judgement and the court should be congratulated for taking such a bold decision,” said Biti.
“I had feared that the court would leave that to the legislature but sometimes when the legislature is in differences the courts play their part and today the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe played its part”.
“So I am very proud to be part of this history, and if know that the struggle for women’s emancipation is far from over; but this is a far reaching decision and a very important decision,” he said.