FIRST Lady Christine Kaseba has called for the introduction of a new law to criminalise perpetrators of early marriages to help curb the vice.
Dr Kaseba said criminalising the act was the only sure way of fighting early marriages to ensure the protection of the girl-child as well as seeing a reduction in such practices.
Dr Kaseba said the current percentage of girls being married off before the age of 17 was high in the country and needed to be reduced by 2015 through the establishment of stiffer penalties.
Speaking during the official launch of the Regional Symposuim on Ending Child Marriages at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre on Wednesday evening, Dr Kaseba said there was need to strategise on how best the vice could be completely curbed.
“It is sad that 46 per cent of women had been married off before the age of 14 years, the victims are subjected to devastating effects and become victims of gender and domestic based violence, physical abuse and neglect, I urge law makers to consider criminalising this offence,” she said.
Visiting United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development Justice Greening said Zambia had enjoyed an impressive economic growth and had seen 1.2 million more children in schools and 40 per cent reduction in child mortality.
She commended Zambia’s commitment to scaling up social protection to those living in extreme poverty saying the country’s economic and social development had been underpinned by its political development.
“Today Zambia is known across Africa as a model of democracy. Zambian people are not only voting in free and fair elections, they have a genuine say in the running of their country and at the same time we know there are still real development challenges for Zambia to overcome,” Ms Greening said.
“We recognise that Zambia’s growth is in Britain’s interests as well as yours. And the British High Commission here is working closely with the Zambian government to improve our two countries’ business links and promote trade,” she said.
Surely, if the Presido is Sick, can madam Kaseba, look so happy as usual?
You guys come on let us move on and stop this presido, sickness talks.
The man is fit, working as usual.
My friend, only the president can end all this speculation — and all he has to do is appear somewhere, on TV and say, “Hello fellow Zambians”.
End of story.
#OneZambi
Remember Maureen was ‘studying’ for her MBA as the man lay in state in France. Women only show concern when they are the ones
tell them my brother
Mary, mother of Jesus got pregnant or conceive at age between 13 and 15 years old. Marriage was involved but no sex … poor Joseph!!
nostradamus ifya so ama so called christians tabafwaya ukufyumfwa. To them the bible is perfect and has no flaws.
Ba madam naimwe there is already a law on defilement which adequately deals with having sex with an under age (below 16 yrs)
@ Mojo there is another law wich permits marriage of girls below sixteen, thus legalising the same. The defilement law uses the phrase *unlawful sexual intercourse* and the definintion of this phrase under Zambian Laws may exclude sex in marriage. According to my understanding Dr kaseba is right on this one, the vice is not adequetly covered by the current legislation.
# Hakaingu…this is an old pic..anywz bana Kaseba ‘should be nursing’ king Cobra if that sick. This though is a good sign that atleast ba Sata is able to make himself a cup of tea while bana kaseba is making speaches…Have a grt day comrades.
Madame First Lady, I think you should submit your recommendation to the Constitution Commission so this can be included in the new constitution.
#OneZambia
Why can’t the First Lady be asked about the whereabouts of the President??? My goodness people do fear King Cobra.
We r indeed at the CROSSROAD. Ths is were u differentiate between Intelligentias & daft, courage & Idiocy and Heroes & Cowards.
Honestly we dont ve ONE IN PF who can FEARLESSLY controll this impass. For sure Sata’s MPs r useless NO POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS stamina.
THIS IS THE WORST DILEMA IN HISTORY OF ANY NATION. A Deliverer is needed….!!
I wish Dean Mung’omba, Paul Tembo or Mazoka where there.
Early marriages in any society are just as bad as snatching other women’s husbands.
Why does this woman always avoid condemning the whores that cause misery to others through grabbing married men? Hypocrite!
By the way, how is the president?
Please stop deceiving yourself. No husband can be grabbed unless he wants to. Seriously how can a grown man who is in love with his wife be snatched by another woman? Lay the blame where it ought to be laid; the cheating husband, period.
This is called ‘putting on a brave face against al adversities’ eapecially with so much at stake. Maybe we should call for A LAW TO CRIMINALISE SUCH BEHAVIOUR.
Is the first lady part of the cartel that is concealing the incapability of the president to rule and hence overriding the constitution? Should she be considered also for treason charges if information comes out that really the president is in a vegetative state?
First things first madam ‘last lady’; WHERE HAVE YOU HIDDEN THE FIRST MAN’? What type of a lady can allow this type of black out. I think people are stealing national resources with the help of this lady. I suggest we call on the ‘old’ first lady to come to the aid of MCS. Dr Kaseba doesn’t mean well unless she proves us wrong. This silence is my design and if they can smuggle MCS at midnight, what can stop them smuggle all the Euro-bonds funds with the help of Gondwe out at midnight? I fear for the worst because even the army, police and ministers do not know what game is going on. This game has no rules and can only be played in Zambia under the cover of darkness. Oh God help your people!
Absolutely yes!!!!!
Totally agreeable & do not care about anything else at this very moment.
If that is a recent picture, one Ngoni chap should take over. Iam ready to take her as second wife. Yeboooo……at least she is not under age
Presumably, There Is a law allowing underage marriage? So what is the age of adulthood in Zambia. 16, er 18 years?
The issue here is why can the gov’t not use current law to arrest men, parents that impose underage marriage on children. Passing a law takes time. We have to admit that the gov’t overlooked this crime if there is an age of maturity of 16, or 18. So the fault lies with the gov’t for failing over decades. Also this is much more a cultural practice. Are going to criminalise our tribal culture rather than accept we need to modernise tribal practice through BETTER EDUCATION and good campaigning across the country and enforcing also through our Tribal Chiefs.
AS USSUAL OLD PICTURE WHERE IS DE NEW PICTURE TO SEE THE MS GREEN A WHITE LADY FROM UK.BUT LT IMPROVE MAY BE DE FIRST LADY HAS REDUCED IN WHEIGHT AND APEARANCE THUS HIDING HER LATEST PICTURES.