Factors Hindering Couples from Accessing Marriage Conciliation Boards in Mainland Tanzania

Abstract To safeguard marriage, the Law of Marriage Act of Mainland Tanzania, established marriage conciliation boards (MCBs) to reconcile disputing spouses. Divorce cases are referred to MCBs before they are filed in court. The divorce rate in Mainland Tanzania is increasing and case law indicates that some parties are by-passing MCBs without good cause. The authors were motivated to study the causes of this trend. Data were collected in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro regions through documentary review and in-depth interviews. They identified six factors limiting parties’ access to MCBs: set-up of the boards; MCBs’ regulatory framework; jurisdiction; costs; choice of forum; and inadequate provisions governing the process followed by MCBs. The study concluded that the government attaches minimal significance to MCBs and recommends that the government should intervene, including by reforming the law governing MCBs.