Marriages Act (Chapter 5:15): Morally inclusive and culturally sensitive

📅 Published: August 21, 2025

📰 Source: thestandard

Curated by AllZimNews.com

Questions of infidelity, adultery, annulment, cohabitation, custodianship, guardianship and maintenance have been brought to the table.

It is, therefore, imperative to unpack the nexus between the Act and morality and culture.

The new Marriages Act has been enacted as an amalgamated and revised edition of Marriages Act [Chapter 5:11] and Customary Marriages Act [Chapter 5:07].

Civil partnerships, qualified civil marriage and unregistered customary law unions were regarded as marriages in relative meanings, depending on procedures of course.

This is the principal focal issue that people are uncertain about with regards to society’s moral and cultural reproduction.

While looking into the concept of moral inclusiveness, we need to query the extent of fairness, allocation of resources, and the fostering of well-being.

These are the fundamental pillars of the structural morality of a society.

With regards to cultural sensitivity, the question is that can the Act be applicable to justifiable and fair, equal and equitable components of our norms, values and customs?

The customary laws have not been removed, rather they have been improved; which means the mayhem is primarily on the civil partnerships.

Society has since witnessed the production and reproduction of civil partnerships.

Before the Marriages Act [Chapter 5: 15], they have been in existence and the cases have even increased.

Despite the derogatory and insensitive names we may call them which include but not limited to mjolo, kuchaya mapoto and or small house.