Dr Magufuli rescinds Dr Mwakyembe’s order on marriage

What you need to know:

Dr Mwakyembe said in his announcement that the order would start on May 1 but speaking at Chamwino State House this morning Dr Magufuli cancelled it.

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli has annulled an order given yesterday by the minister for Constitution Affairs and Justice, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe that all people who want to be married to have birth certificates.

Dr Mwakyembe said in his announcement that the order would start on May 1 but speaking at Chamwino State House this morning Dr Magufuli cancelled it.

Dr Magufuli said there was no point of putting birth certificate as a marriage criteria while only few Tanzanians have such documents.

He said the government could not allow such an order to prevail because it would deny many people their right to marry.

He said processes to get birth certificates were still cumbersome and bureaucratic and majority of Tanzanians can hardly get the documents as they live in rural areas.

“Therefore, my fellow Tanzanians worry not. Continue with marriage arrangements under the current situation and if there is any section in the law which puts the birth certificate as a condition I will direct the minister for Constitution and Justice, Hon Harrison Mwakyembe, to go to the Parliament for amendments,” he said.

However, Dr Magufuli appealed to Tanzanians to seek birth certificates because they were vita documents.