Denied to say personal vows in ceremony

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I recently got married in a religious ceremony. My fiancé and I had written our personal vows, hoping to exchange them during the ceremony. Unfortunately, our marriage officiant denied us the opportunity to say our personal vows and insisted we adhere to the religious script, claiming that Tanzanian law does not permit personal vows in a marriage ceremony. Is this true? Please guide me.
ED, Dar es Salaam

The Law of Marriage Act governs matters of marriage [CAP.29 R.E. 2019] (LMA). The LMA outlines the process of contracting marriage, which includes the wedding ceremony. Section 25 of the LMA states that marriage may be contracted in Tanzania in a civil form; where both parties belong to a specified religion, according to the rites of that religion; in Islamic form; or in accordance with customary rites in cases where both parties belong to communities that observe customary law.

The law does not prohibit the exchange of personal vows. However, it is essential to understand the specific guidelines and requirements regarding vows for your particular type of ceremony. Consequently, the expression of personal vows depends on how the marriage is conducted and contracted. For religious marriage ceremonies, the rules regarding personal vows may vary based on the specific traditions of the religion. Some faiths may strongly encourage or even require the recitation of traditional religious vows, while others may allow couples to create their vows. For civil marriages, couples may choose to exchange personal vows during the ceremony, following the official segment.

According to Section 29 of the LMA, marriages in civil form may be contracted in the following manner: (a) the intended husband shall say to the intended wife words to the following effect, either in English or Kiswahili— “I (giving his name) take you (giving her name) to be my wife, ” and the intended wife shall say to the intended husband words to the following effect, either in English or Kiswahili— “I (giving her name) take you (giving his name) to be my husband.” The marriage shall then be complete, but the parties shall be free to add any additional rite. Consult your marriage officiant for further clarity. Congratulations and best wishes.