— Twelve year old ‘ wife’ withdrawn from marriage in Kapiri

Twelve year old ‘ wife’ withdrawn from marriage in Kapiri

Kapiri Mposhi, 24 July 2014, ZANIS – A twelve year-old grade two girl at Renato Basic School in chief Nkole’s area in Kapiri Mposhi district has been withdrawn from a marriage forced by her father.

ZANIS reports that Central Province Campaign Against Early Marriages Coordinator, Dorothy Mambwe confirmed the development in an interview in Kapiri Mposhi district, today.

Ms. Mambwe said the girl has since been put under the care of Nsungeni Orphanage for custody and counseling.

She said that the girl her parents stopped her from going to school in preference for marriage to a peasant farmer in Kashitu area in Chief Nkole’s chiefdom.

She said the man is since at large.

Ms. Mambwe who is also MMD Chibwelelo Ward councilor in Kapiri Mposhi said the police however managed to pick the girl’s father for questioning.

“We have managed to withdraw a 12 year old girl from a marriage to an elderly man in Kashitu area this man has run away but we have the father to the girl for questioning by police,” Ms. Mambwe said.

Police sources in Kapiri Mposhi confirmed the development but refused to give any information as they are still investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Ms. Mambwe has bemoaned the high incidences of early marriages  in Central Province.

She said government should therefore stiffen laws against those people perpetrating marriages involving underage girls.

She also called on traditional leaders in the province to get involved at community level and punish those marrying off young girls.

Ms. Mambwe said most girls in the area were being forced into marriage because of poverty and lack of schools in their communities.

She said most parents were giving away their girl children in exchange for riches such as cattle and land at the expense of the education of the child.

“Girl children in rural areas are being forced into early marriages because of their parenst to amass cattle and land our traditional leaders should come in and help because they are closer and always hear of these marriages,” Ms. Mambwe said.

She appealed to government to build more schools in rural areas to minimize distances that children were covering to the nearby schools saying long distances to schools discourage mostly the girl child from continuing with education.