Unmarried couples in Burundi are under pressure to formalize their relationships in less than two months. Since a directive was issued in May this year, several couples have been mobilizing finances to ensure that they meet the deadline.
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza said he was setting the deadline in order to “moralise society”.
Relatedly Terence Ntahiraja, a spokesperson for the ministry of interior said besides the morality implications of the decision, the country was faced with a population explosion caused by “illegal marriages.”
The government in Burundi recognizes religious and state sanctioned marriages.
As a means of implementing the directive, some officials have been organizing mass weddings since May, 2017. Several couples have been married in these weddings.
Burundi has been riddled with internal turmoil caused by Nkurunziz’s attempts to stay on as president. Since he came to power, he has shown a preference for religion in governance.
