MINISTER for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Dr Pindi Chana yesterday said she was planning to meet Minister of State in the President's Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance) George Simbachawene and health counterpart Ummy Mwalimu to discuss how to reverse rising divorce rates and deaths.

“A report by the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) shows that there are increased male death rates caused by both communicable and non-communicable diseases hence adversely affecting living conditions for children deprived of care from both parents,” Dr Chana said.

Speaking during the launch of Vital Human Events Statistics Report and opening of Sustainable Child Registration Training organized by RITA in Dodoma, Chana said RITA has registered “alarming” 800 divorce incidents. 

“This number is shocking and shows a steady increase compared to previous years and this calls for an urgent intervention to reverse the alarming situation,” she said.

She said the annual increase in divorce registrations contributes largely to child abuse due to absence of joint parental care.

“I plan to have a meeting with the Minister for Home Affairs to discuss among others, issues of fatal road accidents captured in RITA report,” she said. 

She said her meeting with Simbachawene and Mwalimu is meant to chart out best ways to minimize the alarming divorce rates.

"It is evident that figures regarding single mothers and divorce are alarming,”

Dr Amina Msengwa, RITA Advisory Board Chairman, told the minister that come 2025, the agency will have registered all children under the age of five as earlier directed by President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.

"We are optimistic that all citizens will be registered by 2030," she said.

Dr Msengwa said the Board would continue to work closely with RITA management to ensure it fulfils its responsibilities professionally by implementing the primary goal that established the agency.

Frank Kanyusi, RITA Chief Executive Officer, said there has been a positive outcome in human events registration following the government efforts and contributions by stakeholders.

"We promise to continue managing established programmes to ensure sustainability and enable citizens to register key events promptly,” he said.