In the last three months, more than 40 married people in Namibia have found that their home affairs records still list them as single after the death of their spouses. This has raised concerns about the accuracy of marriage records in the country. Home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu said the cases prompted her ministry to urge married couples to verify their marriage records after concluding the ceremony.
According to Iipumbu, the problem often arises when marriage officers do not submit marriage registers to home affairs after conducting marriages. This can lead to delays in updating records, which can cause problems when a spouse dies and the surviving partner approaches home affairs for documents. Iipumbu said marriages conducted at courts are generally updated on the system, while records from marriages conducted by marriage officers at churches or other places may take longer to reach the ministry.
Iipumbu said people often discover the problem only after a spouse dies and the surviving partner approaches home affairs for documents. This can delay the issuing of a death certificate or other documents because officials may have to trace the marriage officer who conducted the marriage. She said the verification call applies to all married couples and is meant to help people identify problems with their records before they need official documents.
The ministry made a similar call last year, urging married couples to visit their nearest home affairs office to confirm that their marriage records had been submitted and registered by their marriage officers. However, Iipumbu said last year's call did not attract many couples who came forward to check their records. She encouraged couples to verify their records to avoid problems in the future.
Data from the 2023 Population and Housing Census by the Namibia Statistics Agency shows that 5.5% of Namibians were married traditionally, while 4.1% were in consensual unions. The census also indicates that Namibians marry at an average age of 30.5 years. This data highlights the importance of accurate marriage records in the country.
Financial planner at Momentum Metropolitan Betty Ndjiva said marriage records are crucial when dealing with inheritance and the estate of a deceased spouse. She said a church ceremony could create difficulties for a surviving spouse if the marriage does not appear on the home affairs register. Ndjiva emphasized the need for couples to ensure their marriage records are accurate and up-to-date.
The Namibia Marriage Council founder and executive director Paulus Hawanga said the council has dealt with cases in which couples believed they were legally married, only to discover that their marriages had not been entered into the official register. He highlighted the need for couples to verify their marriage records to avoid problems with inheritance and other official documents.
Key points
- Over 40 married people in Namibia have discovered their home affairs records still list them as single after their spouse's death.
- The Namibian government is urging married couples to verify their marriage records to avoid problems with inheritance and official documents.
- Inaccurate marriage records can cause difficulties for surviving spouses when dealing with inheritance and the estate of a deceased spouse.
