Namibia allows only opposite-sex marriages
President Nangolo Mbumba has officially signed into law the new Marriage Act, which, among other provisions, prohibits same-sex marriages in Namibia.
The legislation not only bans same-sex marriages but also refuses to recognize such unions, including those legally performed abroad.
Marriage is defined under the Act strictly as a union between a man and a woman, thus excluding same-sex couples from legal acknowledgment in both civil and customary law.
The issue of same-sex marriage has been a point of contention within the country and the legislature.
In July 2023, Jerry Ekandjo, a member of parliament from Swapo, introduced bills to the National Assembly that sought to criminalize the promotion, propagation, and solemnization of same-sex marriages, as well as redefine the term “spouse.”
Earlier in the same year, Namibia’s High Court overturned colonial-era laws criminalizing same-sex sexual conduct between consenting adults, laws that had been deemed discriminatory.
Opponents of the new law argue from a moral perspective, while supporters frame the issue as one of human rights.
The bills passed with overwhelming support in both the National Assembly and the National Council, securing more than a two-thirds majority vote without any objections or abstentions.
Additionally, the new law introduces significant changes to the public notification process for marriages, requiring stricter measures to ensure greater public awareness and prevent fraudulent unions.
