Conversion of marriages in Tanzania.

Section 11 of the Law of Marriage Act [Cap 29 R:E 2019].

1. A marriage contracted in Tanzania may be converted from; - 

- A monogamous marriage to a potentially polygamous one;

- If the husband has only one wife, from a potentially polygamous marriage to a monogamous one, through a declaration made by the husband and the wife, expressing their voluntary agreement to the conversion.

(2) A declaration for conversion of a marriage must be made in the presence of a judge, a resident magistrate, or a district magistrate, and must be recorded in writing. It must be signed by both the husband and the wife, as well as the person before whom it is made, at the time of its making.

(3) The judge or magistrate before whom a declaration is made must promptly transmit a copy of a declaration to the Registrar-General of Marriages and Divorces.

(4) No marriage can be converted from monogamous to potentially polygamous, or from potentially polygamous to monogamous, except through a declaration stipulated under section 11 of LMA.

(5) The provisions of section 11 do not apply to any Christian marriage celebrated in a church in Christian form, as long as both parties continue to profess the Christian faith. Such a marriage cannot be converted from monogamous to polygamous, regardless of whether it was preceded or succeeded by a civil or other form of marriage ceremony between the same parties."