Image of Tanzania President. Source: AP News
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Claim: A viral post on Facebook and Instagram claimed the government of Tanzania has increased the minimum legal age for marriage to 30, citing economic challenges.
Verdict: Misleading! There is no evidence supporting the claim and the statement attributed to the government. As of May 2026, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country are still calling for the amendment of a part of the Marriage Act that permits underage marriage.
Full Text
In 2021, Samia Hassan emerged as the first female President of Tanzania. Upon assuming office, she was applauded for taking proactive steps to improve the country’s COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Months later, the president’s alleged ‘discriminatory’ comments against female footballers in the country attracted widespread criticism across the globe.
The country’s affairs have continued to make international headlines, especially after the violent protests and casualties that followed the Oct. 29, 2025, election.
In early May 2026, a claim went viral on social media that the government of Tanzania had increased the minimum legal age for marriage to 30 years.
The caption supporting the claim further explains that the government took this step to increase productivity amongst young people. The post alleged that citizens who marry before age 30 do not contribute significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This claim went viral on social media, with many users applauding the move, juxtaposing population growth with poverty rates. Others condemned the alleged move and suggested that the age was reduced slightly for women to reduce the risk of pregnancy complications.
A Facebook user, Arise Ayodeji, wrote, “This is also good for Nigeria because the more the population, the more we grow in poverty.”
DUBAWA observed that there were users who outrightly labelled the female President ‘a tyrant’ for supporting such legislation. On Instagram, mc_thepsis said, “This Tanzanian President is a tyrant. She arrested all her opponents.”
Abbas Lincoln Abraham wrote, “doesn’t make sense … It’s against the ethics of our tradition. We are people governed by laws. Getting a husband or marriage is not a plaything. It comes by grace, not to mention when to engage.”
Arrheniuslinus stated, “Please don’t forget the issues of families. Ageing has an association with the outcomes of pregnancy. Also, remember that these kids will need to be raised to university level…”
Due to the claims’ virality, DUBAWA investigated them to ascertain their veracity.
Verification
A Google search shows that Tanzania is among the countries with the highest number of child brides in Eastern and Southern Africa. Civil Society Organisations in the country are currently canvassing for an amendment to a section of the Marriage Act that permits children under 18 to get married.
These bodies are calling for the repeal of sections in Tanzania’s Marriage Act of 1971, which allow the marriage of 15-year-old girls, while the minimum age of marriage for boys is set at 18 years.
In a landmark judgement in July, 2016, the High Court of Tanzania ruled that the Law of Marriages Act must be revised to eliminate inequality between the minimum age of marriage for boys and for girls. This came after the government introduced stricter measures to ensure school girls complete their education without anyone forcing them into early marriage. The parliament had made it illegal for anyone to marry primary and secondary school girls under any circumstances; such offenders are liable to a 30-year jail term.
However, the Attorney General appealed the High Court’s decision, and any amendments to the Marriage Act were put on hold. But, in 2019, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision holding that neither girls nor boys may marry before they attain 18 years. Yet, child marriage still remains a challenge in the country.
We found no recent laws or announcements that raised the minimum legal age for marriage to 30 years, as claimed in the social media posts.
Conclusion
The claim that the Tanzanian government has set the minimum legal age for marriage to 30 is false. There is no such legislation.
