High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda has ruled that Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Church pastors should continue solemnising marriages.
The ruling follows an urgent application by the AFM Church early this year, seeking an order declaring that the decision that was taken by Registrar-General (RG), Clemence Masango to deny its pastors marriage registers and stationery was a legal nullity. Justice Dube-Banda ruled:
…I find that the applicant (AFM) has an arguable case, on the point that the noting of an appeal did not suspend its pastor’s right to solemnise marriages, therefore its pastors must continue performing that function pending the confirmation or discharge of this provisional order…the respondent (Registrar General) shall provide or make available for the applicant’s pastors all marriage registers and stationery required from time to time to execute their duties as marriage officers.
Masango had taken his position on the basis that the leadership tiff between Bishop Aspher Madziyire and Reverend Cossam Chiangwa has not yet been resolved since the latter had appealed Madziyire’s victory to the Supreme Court.