Chief Mwangala of the Chewa people in Chadiza District has issued a stern warning against marrying off children under the guise of cultural norms and traditions.
The traditional leader’s warning follows revelations that Chadiza District recorded 1,678 teenage pregnancies in 2025. Nearly 400 of these cases were identified as child marriages, all of which resulted in the victims dropping out of school.
Speaking during the “Youth Engage” initiative organized by Plan International Zambia, village headmen under Chief Mwangala identified the traditional practice of building separate houses for adolescents—known as ‘Mphala’—as a significant factor contributing to early sexual activity among young people.
Headman Sapemba further revealed a disturbing trend where some parents bribe village authorities with livestock, such as chickens and goats, to shield perpetrators of child marriage and teenage pregnancy from legal accountability.
However, traditional leaders stated that cultural practices and traditions such as Chinamwali and Gulewamkulu are currently undergoing reforms. These changes aim to ensure the practices are age-appropriate and actively promote the education of the girl child.
According to the Ministry of Education in Chadiza, a majority of pupils from Grade 5 onward leave school after being initiated into these traditional ceremonies. Consequently, school dropouts in the district surged from 37 in 2024 to 390 in 2025.
Dr. Denis Lembani, Program Area Manager for Plan International Zambia in the Eastern Province, emphasized that involving traditional leaders as custodians of culture is essential. He noted that this collaboration is key to identifying and transforming harmful norms for the long-term benefit of the children.
By Samuel Khwawe
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