How do I know if my relationship qualifies as a civil partnership in Zimbabwe?

A civil partnership can be defined as a relation between a man and a woman who live together in a “marriage-like relationship” without being legally married to each other. The couple must not be related by blood or marriage, and having regards to the circumstances of their relationship, they have a relationship akin to a normal couple, living together on a genuine domestic basis.

In order to determine if parties have a civil partnership, the following circumstances are taken into consideration:

1. The duration of the relationship;

2. The nature and extent of the parties common residence;

3. Whether a sexual relationship exists;

4. The degree of financial dependence or interdependence, and any arrangements for financial support between the parties;

5. The ownership, use and acquisition of the parties property;

6. The degree of mutual commitment to a shared life;

7. The care and support of the children (if any); and

8. The reputation and public aspects of the relationship.

No particular finding in relation to any circumstance is regarded by the court as necessary in deciding whether the persons concerned have a civil partnership. The court has the discretion to decide which factors to take into account, how much weight to attach to them in the circumstances of each case.