Africa-Press – Zambia. Chief Cooma of Choma district in Southern Province has said there is need for wide consultation with various stakeholders before bringing the bill seeking to abolish the section of the Penal Code that criminalizes Bigamy.
Cooma said in as much polygamy has been tradition and widely acceptable among cultures such as the Tonga, the act is now expensive to manage. The traditional leader, who is a polygamist, said abolishing the section will entice young people into polygamous marriages.
He explained that people were in polygamy back in the days increase the labour force for agricultural activities. But the traditional leader says polygamy has many disadvantages such as hostility between wives.
He added that the cost of taking care of children has become high compared to the olden days when education was not so important among people. Zambia Law Development Commission has been working on a New Penal Code which amongst other things seeks to abolish criminalizing bigamy.
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