“We Don’t Marry Cousins!” – Zimbabweans Blast UK MP Over Shocking Marriage Claims

Zimbabweans Outraged by UK MP’s Claims that Marriage Among First Cousins Is Common In Sub-Saharan Africa

Zimbabweans have expressed outrage following comments by British MP Iqbal Mohamed, who claimed that first cousin marriages are common and popular in sub-Saharan Africa. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Mohamed argued against a proposal to ban cousin marriages in the UK, asserting that such unions are “extremely common” in the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Also Read: Insults No Longer a Crime: Zimbabwe High Court Declares Criminal Insult Law Unconstitutional

“Provide the Source of These Statistics On Cousin Marriages”

Mr Mohamed, an independent MP, cited statistics claiming that between 35% and 50% of sub-Saharan African populations “prefer or accept” cousin marriages. The comments were made during his response to Conservative MP Richard Holden, who is pushing for stricter prohibitions on cousin marriages through the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill.

Prominent Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) demanded clarity on the source of Mr Mohamed’s claims. Taking to Twitter, he wrote:

“Dear @iqbalmohamedMP, you are reported by @SkyNews as having said that ‘an estimated 35% to 50% of all sub-Saharan African populations prefer or accept cousin marriages.’ Could you kindly provide the source of these statistics for first cousin marriages in sub-Saharan Africa as I have failed to find them.”

Chin’ono’s tweet triggered a flurry of responses from Zimbabweans who criticised the MP’s remarks, calling them baseless and offensive.

“Politicians Lie Unprovoked”

Twitter users ridiculed Mr Mohamed’s claims and questioned their credibility. A user with the handle @hillerymoyo mocked:

“I believe his source is ‘trust me bro.’ I have just realised politicians lie unprovoked.”

Another user, @zimbodeveloper, raised concerns about the MP’s understanding of African cultural norms, tweeting:

“Mmh, I don’t know where you get the info from, but even similar totems can be a deal breaker for marriages.”

User @MitchellMGumbo clarified the cultural taboo surrounding cousin marriages in Zimbabwean society:

“We don’t marry our cousins as Bantu people. The idea is completely frowned upon here.”

Others pointed out inaccuracies in Mr Mohamed’s claims. Takondwa Msosa (@takondwa_msosa) highlighted:

“There’s evidence for countries like Pakistan which have high rates of consanguinity. It doesn’t make sense why he inaccurately and, I suspect, maliciously spread misinformation.”

“Leave Africans Alone”

Many Zimbabweans expressed frustration at the continued stereotyping of African cultures. User @CasaJoya tweeted:

“Maybe in his village, they normalise incest. They must learn to leave us Africans alone. Always want to blame Africans for everything that is wrong in this world.”

Another user, @Simbarashe0629, expressed curiosity about the MP’s sources, writing:

“Yes, we sub-Saharan Africans are very keen to see that research.”

User @mukuru1010 questioned the MP’s motives, tweeting:

“Which Africans? They quote Africans to push their narratives.”

Some comments pointed to blatant misinformation, with @musvo123456 joking:

“The guy just plagiarised from a Wikipedia post entitled ‘Cousin Marriages.’”

Cultural differences were a key point raised by many. @matters_travel explained:

“Dear @iqbalmohamedMP, please be advised in sub-Saharan Africa the word ‘cousin’ does not exist in our cultural norms. Once there is a union of marriages, the offspring and relatives call each other brother/sister, mother/father. Even the words uncle and aunt do not exist.”

For now, Mr Mohamed has not responded to requests for clarification or provided evidence to back up his claims.

The post “We Don’t Marry Cousins!” – Zimbabweans Blast UK MP Over Shocking Marriage Claims appeared first on iHarare News.