Diamond Kwisha wewe! Couples in ‘come-we-stay’ relationships to be arrested and jailed

Couples staying together under the infamous come-we-stay relationship arrangements will soon be arrested and jailed following an order by a government official in Tanzania.

Andrea Tsele, district commissioner (DC) in Ludewa, Njombe region, ordered arrest and jailing of such couples noting that such relationships had yielded many street children.

Speaking during a workshop that brought together men in the district, Tsele noted that such relationships were responsible for the rise in the number of street children.

Street kids

“I urge you to ensure that you formally tie the knot before planning to have babies. That (formalisation of marriages) happens in churches, mosques and the registrar of marriages office. And you (Ludewa police boss), I order you to arrest and oversee the prosecution of couples who are in come-we-stay relationships,” said Tsele.

He went on to say that there so many street kids because of these relationships and should now be tamed.

“You will find so many street children loitering around. The urchins come from families in which men and women decided to live together without a legally-binding relationship agreement. We want to reduce the number of street children. I, therefore, urge those in come-we-stay unions, and are yet to tie the knot to do so,” he said.