according to section of the constitution of tanzania all people are equal before the law however the constitution is silent about the age of marriage tanzania recognises three types of laws which govern marriages including customary law civil law and religious law section of the law of marriage act lma sets the minimum age for marriage at years for men and years for women the lma allows the court to grant permission in special circumstances for a marriage where the parties are below the prescribed ages but have attained at least years of age under section a female who has not attained the apparent age of eighteen years must seek consent from her father if he is dead then her mother or if both are dead then from her guardian in their finding their lordships associated themselves with the loveness mudzuru decision and noted that the requirement of parental consent impacts negatively on the child and subjects her to complex matrimonial and conjugal obligations