The Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe has decried the practice of marrying off youths, which it said is a recipe for increasing poverty in the country.
The Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Bishop Vincent Mwakhwawa, made the sentiments on Sunday 30 November 2025 at St Paul Ndevu Outstation in Namitete Parish during the Thanksgiving Mass.
Bishop Mwakhwawa has since warned all Malawians to urgently act on the practice because it is a sin before God.
“Statistics showing early marriages in the country are very alarming, and as a country, we have to do something quickly. The church and the country can’t develop in earnest if we continue having these early marriages.”
“Poverty levels will continue to rise because the youths aren’t mature enough and shall constantly be prone to various diseases, thereby draining the country’s resources,” said Bishop Mwakhwawa.
He then appealed to all stakeholders and the government to help stop this malpractice so as to protect the productive youths.
Concurring with the bishop, Emma Mwambakulu, who is also one of the chiefs in Ndevu area under Traditional Authority Kalolo, asked all stakeholders to prioritize sending children to school and avoid the practice of early marriages, saying that it derails development.
“It is true that early marriages are happening in the country and in the areas mentioned. However, I want to tell parents and my fellow chiefs in the country not to accept early marriages because it prevents the youths from learning to become productive citizens in the church and country as a whole. I appeal to all the youths to desist from marrying while young but to work hard in school because that’s where their bright future lies. It is really a sin before God for the parents to marry off their children,” said Chief Mwambakulu.
Statistics show that early marriages in Lilongwe rural and Mchinji have very high figures in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
By Alex Nasoni