(3) No person shall, under this Act, be capable of contracting a valid marriage through any other person acting as his representative. 26 Marriage formula In solemnizing any marriage the marriage officer, if he is a minister of religion, may follow the rites usually observed by his religious denomination or organization, but if he is any other marriage officer he shall cause each of the parties in some part of the proceedings to make the following declaration— “I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why, I, A.B., may not be joined in matrimony to C.D., here present.” and each of the parties shall say to the other— “I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, A.B., do take C.D. to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband).”. 27 Certain marriage officers may refuse to solemnize certain marriages Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed as compelling a marriage officer who is— (a) a minister of religion, to solemnize a marriage which would not conform to the rites or discipline of his religious denomination or organization; or (b) a magistrate, to solemnize a marriage outside the ordinary hours of attendance observed at offices of the State. 28 Payments to marriage officers (1) It shall not be lawful for any marriage officer, other than a minister of religion, to demand or receive any gift or reward for or by reason of anything done or to be done by him as a marriage officer in terms of this Act. (2) A marriage officer, other than a magistrate, may receive such remuneration ordinarily paid to a minister of religion in terms of the rules and regulations of his religious denomination or organization for or by reason of anything done or to be done by him in terms of this Act. 29 Blessing of a marriage Nothing in this Part shall be construed as precluding a minister of religion or a person holding a responsible position in a religious denomination or organization from— (a) blessing, according to the rites of his religious denomination or organization, any marriage contracted within Zimbabwe in accordance with this Act or outside Zimbabwe; or (b) making such entries and issuing such documents as may be required by rules or regulations made by his religious denomination or organization in connection with the religious blessing of marriages, if such entry or document does not purport to have been made or issued in terms of this Act. PART IV R EGISTRATION OF M ARRIAGES 30 Registrar of Marriages For the purpose of performing the functions assigned to him by this Act, there shall be a Registrar of Marriages whose office shall be a public office and shall form part of the Public Service. 31 Register of marriages (1) Immediately after the solemnization of a marriage, the marriage officer shall make an entry thereof in the marriage register book to be kept for that purpose and shall complete two duplicate original registers of that entry, inserting therein the same particulars as appear in the entry. (2) Every such marriage register book and the duplicate originals thereof shall be in the form prescribed and every entry therein shall include all the particulars required by that form. (3) Every such entry shall be signed by the marriage officer and by the parties married and shall be attested by at least two witnesses of or above the age of eighteen years and each of the duplicate original registers of such entry shall be signed and attested by the same persons. (4) One duplicate original register of the entry shall be delivered to the parties and the other shall, as soon as possible but not later than thirty days after the date of the marriage, be transmitted to the Registrar, together with any declaration, proof of consent, certificate or other document required by this Act or any other law to be delivered to the marriage officer in respect of the marriage. (5) Every marriage officer shall at all reasonable times, upon payment of the prescribed fee, if any, allow searches to be made in the marriage register books in his custody. 32 Registration of marriages by Registrar (1) The Registrar shall file in his office all duplicate original registers and other documents transmitted to him in terms of this Act and shall forthwith register, in a book to be kept in his office for that purpose and to be called the Marriage Registration Book, such particulars as may be prescribed of every duplicate original register filed by him. (2) Upon payment of the prescribed fee, the Registrar shall—