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WINDHOEK – Couples wishing to knot will be required to submit a marriage application if the new Marriage Bill is subject to all verification procedures without major changes.
The bill will also require that people aged 18 to 21 have the consent of their parents before getting married.
The bill has in principle already received cabinet approval, according to Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Engel Nawatiseb. Cabinet has now referred the bill to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CDC) for further consideration and appropriate recommendations to Cabinet prior to tabling in the National Assembly.
With the need to apply to get married, the bill will help detect bigamy problems (marriage with someone who is already married), marriages of convenience and lost marriage records.
"You have to apply (to get married), then we will publish this application so that everyone knows that you are going to get married and that there is no obstacle or difficulty in getting married. preventing you from getting married, "said Interior Minister Frans Kapofi, to the proposal Marriage Invoice.
He said that people will go to the marriage agent of the Ministry of the Interior or to anyone who is announced as the law.
"When you apply your marriage, your intention will be made public. If some people oppose it, some people are already married, "said the minister.
Kapofi added that in cases involving a foreigner (wishing to marry), they would require from the country of origin of the person concerned a document stating that there were no obstacles or obstacles to getting married. right here.
According to Kapofi, couples wishing to get married only make an announcement, approaching wedding officers or a church to register and then marry.
Kapofi said the bill would also deal with marriage of convenience and that there are provisions to ensure that people do not marry for this purpose.
He said that this would be done by making it public (once a couple asks to get married) and that, if there are any objections, they will not get married.
He added that the bill will prescribe that the marriage of people aged 18 to 21 requires the consent of their parents. "
"You can not just get up and say that you are going to get married – if you are between that age group, you need the consent of your parents and the authority must be satisfied that you got the parental consent, "he noted.
Kapofi explained that it was not a restriction, but simply a regulation of the company and an order.
On the issue of lost archives, Kapofi said that the bill would contain a provision that would reconstitute marriage records when such acts were performed, but for some reason they were not found. He said that people would be required to provide some sort of proof.
The bill originated in the fact that Namibia, upon independence, inherited from South Africa Marriage Law No. 25 of 1962 and does not solve some of the major problems of Namibian society, such as bigamy, marriage of convenience and lost marriage records. In order to address these specific challenges, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes, among its measures, to strengthen the appointment of marriage officers, including pastors, to ensure that all marriages are celebrated and registered in accordance with legal requirements. in force.
Selma Ikela
2018-11-27 09:26:27 18 hours ago
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