CHIEF Chiduku of Makoni district in Manicaland has come under fire for his comments that child marriages should not be reported to the police as traditional leaders would lose “tokens of appreciation”.
By Phyllis Mbanje
A youth organisation campaigning against child marriages, Real Open Opportunities for Transformation Support (Roots), said Chief Chiduku’s comments were retrogressive and unhelpful in the fight against the condemned practice.
“We condemn this mentality that sees young girls as commodities that can be exchanged for cheap pieces of silver,” Roots director Beatrice Savadye said.
She said Chief Chiduku’s statements threatened to undo progress made in mobilising communities to end child marriage especially in the rural areas.
“Chiefs are custodians of culture and should be the ones at the forefront to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of young girls,” Savadye said.
The child rights defender also said the traditional leader’s statements made communities unsafe.
Chief Chiduku, during a recent anti-child marriages meeting in Makoni district, allegedly openly discouraged reporting of perpetrators to the police saying this was against local culture.
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“If we report such cases to police, as chiefs how do you expect us to survive? We are family. Who is going to give us tokens of appreciation?” Chiduku asked.
Chief Chiduku’s statements come at a time the government has launched the African Union Campaign to end child marriages in the country.
In 2011, Chief Chiduku, a senator for Manicaland, stunned a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee when he said there was nothing wrong with marrying off unde-rage girls.
Roots said all like-minded progressive organisations should resist efforts to undermine the fight against child marriages.
