Child Custody after Divorce

In Tanzania, custody is governed by civil law, regardless of the type of marriage. The 1963 Law of Persons Act declared that children born inside marriage belonged to the father. However, the 1971 Marriage Act requires custody to be decided in the best interest of the child, but routinely defers to custom in individual cases. Prior to 1971, custody of Muslim children was administered under Islamic Law; however, the uniform codification of the Marriage Act included child custody regulations. Practically, if a woman files for custody, the father will not contest the motions. Here means that when woman open a case for custody father will not be able block the case. However, in absence of contestation, the father generally gets custody. Further, the Marriage Act provides that a father is responsible for maintenance of children until 18 years of age, regardless of custody
Custody patterns also vary depending on local lineage patterns. Among the matrilineal Muslims, the child belongs to his or her mother and her lineage, and remains with the mother in case of divorce, until age of 7; courts also directed to consider: customs of community to which parents belong; economic circumstances of both parents; housing that both parents can provide; and behaviour of mother and whether she contributed to marital breakdown If the mother dies, the child still remains with the members of the matriline and is usually maintained by a maternal uncle.

Looking to law governing marriage and divorce in Tanzania Act of 1971 (LMA) Section 125 of LMA provide for custody of children after divorce that may be granted either to the father or mother or any third party who is in position to provide for welfare of the children.
Section 126 provides for condition to custody order and section 127 provides for principle of welfare of child and in determining custody of children the welfare of the child is paramount and the court will grant custody to the one who is in better position to grant custody, however court always prefer before deciding on granting custody divorce parties to agree themselves to whom the child will leave with.

Welfare of the child including food, clothes, shelter, education, culture as well as good moral or attitude of the parent. So this is not only a matter of financial position of the parent.
Looking to the cases concerned the child custody after divorce in Tanzania based on the group focus, “why always mother have more right to be granted custody of child”. Here are examples which shows that even father can be granted custody of child

In case of Vestina Kibutu vs. Mbaya (1985) Tanzania Law Report (TLR) 42 custody was granted to the father because he was in the position to provide education and psychological development.
Another case of Re Steven Christopher Newborn (1975) TLR 24, courts in discussing welfare of the child takes into consideration social aspect and culture of divorcee. In this case spouses were English and divorced in Mwanza Tanzania. Mother decided to stay in Tanzania with her son Steven, Husband wanted to go England with his son. Court in its decision said it is better for father to go with his son England to be raised with English culture.

Mapenzi ya Tanzania Bara na Zanzibar mashakani...

Wengi wetu siku hizi tunapenda kufananisha muungano wa Tanganyika na Zanzibar na ndoa ya watu wawili wapendano. Ndoa huja baada ya wawili walioshibana kuamua kuishi pamoja kwa muda wote wa maisha yao. Zipo aina kadha wa kadha za ndoa zote hizo huwa na lengo moja la kuunganisha wale wapendanao.

Mapenzi siku zote uzaliwa na kukua na hatimae kupevuka, siku zote mapenzi hukuzwa na wapendanao kwa kujaribu kuheshimu yale apendayo mwenza wake. Hii ni kwa kila upande na sio jukumu la mmoja tu ndani ya hayo mapenzi. Yapo mambo mengi ambayo ufanyika kwa lengo la kudumisha na kuendeleza mapenzi. Na haya yote hufanyika kwa moyo wa dhati ili mradi tu kuona penzi linakuwa kila siku.

Tofauti ndogo ndogo siku zote uwepo katika mapenzi, na wale ambao hupenda kuona mafanikio na kudumisha mapenzi yao hupenda kuzijadili tofauti hizo kungali mapema ili kuzuia tofauti hizo kuwa tatizo baina yao. Hii ni mojawapo ya vitu vya msingi sana katika ndoa zinazojali mapenzi.

Ndoa ya Tanzania Bara na Zanzibar sasa ipo kwa muda mrefu kiasi cha kusema kuwa imekomaa ila mapenzi katika ndoa hii muhimu yamekuwa yakipungua kila siku na katika spidi kubwa kiasi cha kuhatarisha ndoa yenyewe.Vitu vyote muhimu katika kukuza penzi zimewekwa kando badala yake chuki na kusingamana vimechukua nafasi.

Katika nyakati tofauti tumeshuhudia mambo kadha wa kadha yakifanyiwa marekebisho ili mradi kulienzi penzi na kudumisha ndoa, tokea wakati ule wa kusafiri kwa passport hadi kuongezwa kwa mambo kadhaa ndani ya ndoa hiyo. Hata hivyo kwa upande mmoja wa wanandoa hawa amekuwa akiburuzwa mno, mambo mengi amekuwa akinyang'anya tokea kuwa na sauti ya pili kwa ukuu ndani ya ndoa hiyo hadi sasa ambapo hana sauti yoyote, hata uhalali wake umeanza kuhojiwa, mbaya zaidi pamoja na kukubali kufutwa kwa kutumia karatasi baina ya nchi mbili hizi, inashangaza sana kuona kuwa makaratasi yameondolewa kwa binadamu tu.Iwapo una gari ukitokea upande wa Visiwani, gari hilo linabidi kuwa na karatasi ili liweze kutembea upande wa pili wa ndoa.

Kuna kero zingine zinachosha sana, na wala hazisaidii kurutubisha ndoa zaidi ya kuitia ubovu ambao mwisho wake ni kuvunjika tu.

Wazenj na Mashairi

PONGEZI kwake Shamhuna, pamoja na Ali Mzee
SMZedi kujikuna, na kuridhisha wazee
Shabashi na kujivuna, Zanzibar isiteketee!

Zanzibar isiteketee, vigogo kuyabaini
Mwakanjuki atutetee, nahodha wa mapinduzi
Na Salmini tuletee, salamu za uzinduzi!

Salamu za uzinduzi, kutia ghera na moyo
Kumbukeni mapinduzi, ni kombozi si uchoyo
Zanzibar si Bata Shuzi, si Lindi si Bagamoyo!

Si Lindi si Bagamoyo, Dola ya Mwinyi Mkuu
Isikatwe yake roho, Dunga ... Unguja Ukuu
Nayo Pemba si Mohoro, imefungasha na Bweju!

Kufungasha na Bweju, Mafia na huko Kilwa
Lakini hayo ni makuu, Mrima kukaripiwa
Na tudai Siku Kuu, Zanzibar kuheshimiwa!.

Walevi Tende kumbe wapo wengi...

Ziara ya Prez Kikwete kule PBA na Zenj ambayo imemalizika hivi karibuni, imeacha maneno mengi na hasa kutokana na hotuba zake ambazo alizitoa wakati wa ziara hiyo. Huku wengi akilidhika na yale yote ambayo alihutubia katika mikutano ya hadhara na wakati wa funguzi mbalimbali wa miradi, wachache wakiongozwa na chama cha maalim wameendelea kubeza kama kawaida yao.

Kwa upande wangu ziara hiyo ilikuja katika wakati muafaka kabisa na ni baada ya sherehe za Mapinduzi ambazo zinakumbuka Mapinduzi yaliyo zaa serikali ya walio wengi visiwani humo. Mapinduzi haya yalikuja mwezi mmoja baada ya Uhuru wa mashaka uliotolewa na Waingereza kwa Waarabu wachache na jamaa zao huko visiwani zikiwaacha wananchi walio wengi katika giza la kitwana. Historia ya mapinduzi hayo kwa sasa itakuwa inafahamika vizuri kwa kila mtanzania kwani imeshapita miaka 45 tokea yatokee na kila mwaka yamekuwa yakikumbukwa. Na hivi leo anapotokea mtu ama kikundi cha watu kuhoji ama kubeza mapinduzi hayo, inafaa umtizame mara mbili mbili kama tayali ameshapata vinibu kadhaa ama la!

Mwaka jana kuna kundi ambalo linadai kuwa linahusu Uhuru wa Zenj, ambalo liliamua kuadhimisha sherehe haramu za uhuru! Mpaka sasa sijajua walikusudia nini katika maadhimisho hayo, ingawa wao walikuwa na haya ya kusema

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jana, Kiongozi maandalizi ya sherehe hizo, Daud Jabil Seif, alisema wameamua kuadhimisha sikukuu hiyo ili kuwaenza waasisi wa uhuru wa Zanzibar wa mwaka 1963 ambao hawakumbuliwi na serikali.

Sasa hii maana yake ni nini kama sio kuanzisha chokochoko dhidi ya Mapinduzi ya mwaka 1964. Hapana shaka kabisa huu ni ulevi wa tende toka katika mtaimbo wa kwanza. Kwa zaidi ya miaka 40 imekuwa ikielezwa maana ya mapinduzi ya Zenj na kwa nini yalifanyika na kwa nini yataendelea kudumishwa.

Walevi wengine wa tende wanajaribu kuingiza mfumo wa vyama vingi na hatima ya Mapinduzi ya Zenj. Wao huku macho yao yakiwa mekundu kutokana na ulevi wa tende na asusa za mapera mchana wa jua la utosini huku wakivuja mijasho wanasema kuwa

Lakini kauli ambayo nataka zaidi kwa leo kumhusisha nayo Rais Kikwete ni ile ya kulileta tena suala la Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar ya 1964 na kama kawaida linapotajwa suala hilo malaika huwasisimka watu. Alisema haiwezekani kabisa kuchezea Mapinduzi hayo ambayo sasa yana umri wa miaka 45.

"Kama hajipendi ajaribu…kama hajitaki ajaribu…Yote chezeeni Mapinduzi hapana…ukiyachezea Mapinduzi unawarudisha watu kwenye utumwa, unawarudisha watu kwenye utwana. Hili liliondoka Januari 12, 1964 na halitarudi tena….haiwezekani."



Hiyo ndio kauli aliyoitoa Rais Kikwete ambayo inanifanya nijiulize masuala chungu nzima na hasa kuhusisha kauli hiyo na suala zima la demokrasia na ushiriki wa kisiasa hapa Zanzibar.

Mlevi huyu amesahau kuwa vyama vingi vimekuja baada ya Mapinduzi na vimeidhinishwa na Baraza la Wawakilishi ambalo ndio utunga sheria kwa serikali ya mapinduzi. Hapana shaka mlevi huyu ambae ni mwandishi wa makala kadhaa, bado ana faida za tende na kusahau kuwa Chama chochote cha siasa ambacho kitashindwa kuyatambua mapinduzi ya Zenj hakina nafasi ya kutawala huko Zenj. Maalim na madevu yake alijaribu mara kadhaa na joto lake ameliona na sasa amefyata mkia. Hata hivyo sio rahisi kuaminika kwani jamaa wale walipelekewa tu taarifa za Mapinduzi hivyo hawajui uchungu wake... Na Wengi wanajua kuwa Uchungu wa mwana aujuae mzazi

Pamoja na mambo mengine Prez JK aliwaambia waziwazi wale wote ambao wanabeza maendeleo ya SMZ na JMT katika visiwa hivyo ni sawa na walevi wa tende, kauli ambayo naona inawafaa sana maruuni hao.