Couples ‘forced’ to stay in loveless marriages as cost of divorce go up

Some couples in the country may find themselves stuck in loveless and troubling marriages after the cost of the cheapest uncontested divorce shot up to US$2 000.

As reported by TheNewsHawks, according to a schedule of revised legal fees from the Law Society of Zimbabwe, a plaintiff must fork out US$1 200 and the defendant US$800.

Apparently, Zimbabwe recognizes two types of divorces, the simple or uncontested divorce and the opposed or contested divorce.

The first type is not so complicated to achieve because both parties would have shown their wish to terminate the marriage and meaning they would have agreed to the broad terms of the separation.

Meanwhile, whichever way or type of divorce one is filing, the court has final say over such matters as child custody, child support and the division of property.

Divorce law in Zimbabwe is governed under the Matrimonial Causes Act, which was implemented in 1986.

There are two grounds for divorce under the laws of Zimbabwe, irretrievable breakdown of a marriage, and incurable mental illness or continuous unconsciousness of one of the parties to the marriage.

-Zwnews