Call to educate women on inheritance laws

Dumani Moyo Sunday News Reporter
WOMEN who are victims of family inheritance feuds were given a voice recently when Self Help Development Foundation of Zimbabwe launched a talk show in Gwanda.Speaking during the occasion, Self Help Development Foundation Programmes co-ordinator Mrs Zandile Masuku said women should be educated on what the law says about inheritance so that they are not victimised by their male counterparts.

“We have seen a lot of women being victims when it comes to inheritance and property sharing. This show is aimed at giving women light on what the law says so that they will not be unfairly excluded from the properties shared,” she said.

A survey by Sunday News revealed that more than 30 women in Gwanda’s Ward 22 need assistance and counselling on inheritance issues as some of them had been left out in terms of inheritance property sharing.

As the show was taking place, the villagers were presenting their inheritance challenges and posing questions to legal, traditional and gender representatives.

Another villager only identified as Mr Nyathi asked the experts about the first born son being the primary beneficiary of the inheritance.
“In our traditional customs, the first born son is regarded as the beneficiary of inheritance after the death of his father. Now how can we put the woman in?” he asked.

Responding to the question, the acting development officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr George Dube explained to the villagers that a wife should not be excluded from inheritance as long as she is alive.

“When a man dies, the first person to get the property is the wife. The property only goes to the children when both parents are no longer alive. We know that family members have a tendency of supporting children at the expense of their mothers, which is wrong. If you focus more on one person (the first born son) it means girls will not be counted as well,” said Mr Dube.

A paralegal officer from Legal Resource Foundation, Mr Alaska Mafuka, said women should ensure that they are included in the will before their husbands die.

“In most cases the women are left out of the property sharing because they are not included in the will. In order to avoid being miscounted in inheritance, it is important to make sure that the will is drafted by two parties, wife and husband,” said Mr Mafuka.