On May 29th, 2024, the Plenary Sitting of the Chamber of Deputies voted on the law governing persons and families.
Dr Mujawariya Valentine, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, who represented the Government during the consideration of the law, that the old laws, made in 2016, had gaps and needed to be updated. These changes will help make the laws easier to use and create a fairer and more equal society with strong families.
Here are some changes in the new law:
Article 156: Dissolution of the separation of property regime and its effects
•   Upon request of one of the spouses whose cohabitation is less than five years, the court may order the spouses not to equally share the assets and liabilities after examining reasons of the request
•    The court may order that the value of damage caused by one of the spouses, as well as debts acquired before the marriage which are not disclosed in the inventory are deducted from his or her share.

Article 166: Choice of other matrimonial regime
•    Intending spouses may choose another matrimonial regime in case the matrimonial regime is not contrary to the rules of public order and good morals. In this case, the intending spouses establish an authentic deed indicating the management of their property and the effects on the property in the event of dissolution of the marriage contract or in the event of a change of the matrimonial regime.
Article 175: Valuing Unpaid Care Work
•  The value of unpaid care work done by one or both spouses will be counted as between 10% and 39% of the property they earned since the day they got married, after taking away any debts they took on after getting married.
Article 197: Marriageable age
•    The minimum legal age for marriage is 21 years. However, a person with age of majority but who has not yet attained marriageable age, may apply, for reasonable grounds, to the civil registrar at District level the authorisation to get married.