A 16-year-old girl from Mung’anga village in Chipili District of Luapula Province has been forced to leave home by her father after he attempted to marry her off against her will. 

The girl, name withheld, narrated that on December 10, 2024, her father received representatives of her supposed future husband from the same village to pay dowry for her to get married.

ZANIS reports that, however, the girl, turned down the marriage proposal and the dowry, an action which infuriated her father, Enock Mwaba, 46, who as a result banished her from his home.

“Some people came to pay so that I get married but I don’t want to. My father is upset that I refused so he has chased me from home. I don’t want to get married,” the girl narrated in Bemba.

The girl has appealed to the government to intervene and to sponsor her education into boarding school, fearing she cannot concentrate on her education in the same environment where her father resides.

“I just want to go back to school. I’m appealing to government to take me into a boarding school far away from here so that I’m not disturbed,” the girl said.

Meanwhile, the girl’s mother, Chamba Priscilla, 41, has revealed that her husband’s behaviour towards the girl deteriorated after their daughter fell pregnant at 15 years subsequently dropping out of school. 

“He has been physically and emotionally abusive to her and often insults me for no reason,” Ms Chamba said.

Meanwhile, government has intervened in the matter and provided the girl a Boarding School Bursary under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Chipili District Administrative Officer, Katele Lengwe, confirmed the development saying the girl will resume her education from grade six at a named boarding school.

“Girl children should not be married off but allowed to go to school. It is also important to allow children to make their own choices, free from parental coercion,” Mr Katele said.

He added that the girl will undergo psychological counseling before reporting for school.