Husband taking wife’s surname

I am to be married in the coming weeks to a woman from a prominent family of politicians. My fiancée and I believe in equality and mutual respect in our marriage. I am considering adopting my wife’s surname to honour her family history and reflect our shared values as a couple. This decision has sparked conversations among my relatives and friends, with many opposing the change. Despite this, I wish to break away from tradition to demonstrate my commitment and love for my soon-to-be wife. Can a husband legally adopt his wife’s surname in Tanzania? Please enlighten me.
ER, Mara

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. In Tanzania, the process of changing one’s name is governed by the Registration of Documents Act, Cap. 117, and the Oaths and Statutory Declarations Act, Cap. 34. A husband can legally adopt his wife’s surname by following the legal name change process. This involves signing a deed poll and registering it with the Registrar of Documents. Following this, the name change must be published in the Government Gazette. The legal process requires you to wait for public objections to the name change. If there are no objections, the name changes will be officially recognised. We hope that your name change is met with overwhelming support from family and friends. Considering equality between man and woman, it is a very new phenomenon and subject to the above, allowed in Tanzania.

Your lawyer can provide further guidance on the process.