Zimbabwe First Lady Takes Inheritance Program to Dema
Tendai Rupapa in DEMA for the Herald
GOGO Juliet Mushamba (68) has neither slept soundly nor had peace of mind ever since she lost her husband three years ago.
The mother of four often scratches her head for clues over her late husband’s relatives who are refusing to hold a memorial service and distribute his clothes as per custom.
The deceased’s relatives want to forcibly inherit all the movable and immovable properties the couple had acquired, hence each day is a nightmare for the widow who ponders what the future holds for her family.
“I lost my husband three years ago,” said Gogo Mushamba while fighting back tears. “Since then, we are still to hold a memorial service for him and his clothes are still to be distributed as per custom. When I go to tell his relatives about the memorial service, they are taking no action because they are after the property that was left behind by my husband.
“We had an eight-roomed house in Zengeza 5, Chitungwiza. We also built an identical house in the rural areas and had also acquired a farm and cattle. My husband’s relatives want to take everything. They do not want me near these properties since his demise. My children were told off and they said no one had powers to conduct the ceremony until they saw it fit to do so.”
However, all hope is not lost for Gogo Mushamba, thanks to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s inheritance awareness programme.
Amai Mnangagwa reignited her inheritance and property awareness campaign following calls on her office to do so by widows, widowers and orphans whose rights were being trampled on since the demise of breadwinners.
Yesterday, she took the programme to Dema and for a robust awareness, the First Lady roped in a team of experts from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Master of the High Court, the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ), Council of Estate Administrators and Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
The experts readily provided answers to various questions that were asked.
“We are grateful because the First Lady brought experts who are going to correct the problems we are facing as widows. We did not know where we would report such cases. Our mother has come to rectify the challenges we face,” said Gogo Mushamba.
Gogo Mushamba is not alone in this predicament.
Mrs Lista Sikochi (29) said she is going through horror after her husband’s death, with his relatives grabbing the property.
She wailed while narrating her ordeal to the First Lady.
“When my husband passed on in December last year, his relatives told me that it was part of their custom that I should go back to my people for a mourning period after which they would call me back,” said Mrs Sikochi.
“However, when I returned, I found the locks changed and there were guards. There were also other people staying at our house who denied me entry. My husband’s sister and elder brother processed the death certificate and registered the estate without my knowledge.
“They lied that the deceased was single and I received summons ordering my eviction and to surrender everything to the executor within seven days. I was left with a one-year-old child.”
In response, Mrs Pauline Mandigo who was representing the Council of Estate Administrators said whatever the circumstances, Mrs Sikochi was supposed to have registered the estate within 14 days.
“Your husband’s relatives did not have the power to do what they did and registering the estate without your knowledge,” she said. “According to section 26 of the Administration of Estates Act (chapter 6:01), which is the major law in terms of administration of deceased estates, as the surviving spouse, you had to be given the first preference to register the estate.”
Mrs Sikochi was advised to visit the Master of High Court’s office so that her file will be revisited.
Another widow, Mrs Violet Zano (74), said she is going through hell at the hands of a neighbour who was her late husband’s friend and is tampering with the boundary of her homestead.
“My husband passed on in October last year and a neighbour is encroaching into our boundary taking part of our land. When I took the issue to the headman, he took no action. I do not have transport fare to approach the courts for redress. Now that Amai is here today, our tears have been wiped. Tawana kwekuchemera,” she said amid sobs.
These are some of the harrowing tales that were recounted at yesterday’s programme.
In her address, the First Lady said; “Since 2018 when we rolled out this programme people were crying out that they were going through untold sufferings. I, however, am not an expert in the field and that is why you saw me bringing along people who are qualified to handle such matters.
“This has been triggered by women and children who are writing and phoning my office daily over problems arising from inheritance issues.”
The mother of the nation said it also emerged during her countrywide Gota/Nhanga/Ixiba programme that some challenges faced by children stemmed from inheritance issues, hence her decision to tackle the problem head-on.
“Mostly affected are women and children who would have lost a husband and a father,” she said. “Relatives often come and take away wealth from the hapless families, leaving others with nothing to live on. What is painful is that some of those who grab properties, are doing so at the expense of the bonafide beneficiaries.
“We also have a Nharirire programme where we also look at those who head homes. These programmes are interrelated. These programmes seek to end chaos in the event of a bereavement.
“Grandmothers are also facing challenges of being chased away by their grandchildren in the event of the death of the children’s parents. Some grandchildren are chasing away frail grandmothers from the homes.”
As part of yesterday’s interactive session, it was mainly women who narrated painful stories of what they are going through at the behest of heartless relatives.
In jest, the Master of High Court Mr Eldard Mutasa urged widows to cry with one eye open, while keeping another on inheritance.
“Women, when crying use one eye while the other one will be on the property left,” he said. “Sometimes relatives take advantage that you won’t be thinking straight and they pounce on you and take away all valuables. Relatives should only distribute clothes and leave everything else.”
One old lady said she had a beautiful homestead and grinding mill, but following her husband’s death, his relatives hid the grinding mill.
An elderly woman narrates her story during Inheritance awareness programme organised by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in Dema, Seke yesterday.
“After burial, they decided that I be taken by his younger brother (kugarwa nhaka) but I refused,” she said. “They chased me away with my children and took away my homestead and the grinding mill.”
In response, Mrs Phillipa Muchemwa from the Law Society of Zimbabwe said the properties that were seized should be returned as it was illegal to do so and the law allowed for the prosecution of people who seized properties when they were not the intended beneficiaries.
Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works Marian Chombo said her ministry did not take kindly to corrupt headmen.
This was after some widows complained that there were some corrupt headmen who were selling their land.
One of elderly man follow proceedings during Inheritance awareness programme in Dema, Seke yesterday.
“Our Ministry of Local Government which works with headmen, does not accept this. If you visit the chief and the matter is not resolved, come to our offices and give us their names and evidence so that we remove that headman,” she said to applause.
Mr Mutasa said widows and orphans were not supposed to be ill-treated.
“What comes first is love, then people get married and live together,” he said. “A child is a gift that comes or may not come. Let us respect childless women because failure to give birth does not make her inadequate.
“A childless woman has rights to inheritance. If you find yourselves being ill-treated, feel free to visit us and we will assist you because that kind of behaviour is not permitted at law.”
Mr Mutasa said it was important for people to write wills to safeguard their property.
“We encourage people to write wills,” he said. “A will is powerful and respected. It protects your inheritance and do not be afraid to write a will.”
Mr Charles Manhiri from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs outlined steps that need to be take when registering an estate and ways through which estates can be protected.
“The biggest challenge is that we do not know that we should have the estate registered,” he said. “This is done immediately after death of our loved one at the magistrate’s court or the Master of High Court.
“If we have our properties taken away by people who are not the intended beneficiaries, we have a right to report this. We have offices that assist you. We also have the Legal Aid directorate which assists even those who cannot afford lawyers.”
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