Chief Justice and every other Constitutional Judge is in the privileged
and rear position of being the founding interpreters of this important
document the new Constitution of Zimbabwe.
B.
ISSUES
3.
It is submitted that there are two main issues in this particular matter
on the merits.
The first is clearly, the question of protection of
children's rights as defined in Article 81 of the Constitution and
determining whether or not early marriages and the laws allowing and
permitting the same are consistence with that right.
4.
In dealing with the rights of children as defined 1n the Court, this
Honourable Court must take into account the fact that the Court itself
is the guardian of all minors in Zimbabwe.
5.
Put in simple terms, this is not a matter in which this Court is neutral.
It cannot be.
It is duty bound by law to act in the best interest of
minor children and in this regard, the Court in very simple terms is
being asked to declare that it surely cannot be in the interest of minor
children that they get married before the age of 18 years.
6.
The second main issue that the Court will have to consider is the issue
of discrimination between men and women.
In particular the
discrimination imposed by Section 22 of the Marriages Act [Chapter
5: 11] vis-a-vis the differentiation between dates of marriage for men and
women.
7.
The inquiry under this head, will entail a look at the doctrine of
equality within the context of Section 56 of the Constitution of
Zimbabwe.
Page 2 of 46
Applicant's Heads of Argument in the matter between:
Lovencss Mudzuru & Another v Minister of Justice Legal & Parliamentary Affairs & 2 Others
Case Number CCZ 79/2014
Prepared byTendai Biti Law