ZB educates public on inheritance laws

Philemon Jambaya

According to the 2012 census, Zimbabwe is home to around 587 000 widows, and most women aged 60 and over are widowed.

Many of these older women are vulnerable to violation of their property and inheritance rights. Every year, in-laws evict thousands of widows from their homes and land, leaving them with no roof over their heads, no means of income, and no support networks.

Others face persistent harassment from in-laws who often accuse them of being responsible for the death of their husbands.

Under Zimbabwean customary law, the surviving spouse receives the immovable property in which there were living in and one-third of the net estate. In instances where the deceased had more than one wife, one third of the net-estate is shared between the two wives with the two- thirds being shared equally amongst the children

Information on inheritance laws is not readily available and it usually leaves others without knowledge as victims of abuse.

ZB Financial Holdings have taken it upon themselves to educate the public on inheritance laws at the ongoing Zimbabwe Agricultural Society Show which is ongoing in Harare.

ZBFH Corporate Finance Manager Hugh Gutura said that the presentation was mainly focused on property rights of spouses.

“The presentation was on property rights of spouses in the marriage context. We discussed these issues because they affect our day-to-day lives as a bank. We believe that we do not simply exist for purposes of making profits from our commercial dealings with the banking public. We also have a duty to give back to the society we operate in. We have to disseminate information that empowers our clients in their personal or private life.

“To us, that is very important so the presentation at the rights of surviving spouse in the circumstance of death. When one lost a partner what are the rights they enjoy in respect of the estate that is left behind? We also discussed the respective rights of a spouse who is faced with unfortunate circumstance of a divorce,” Gutura said.

The bank also hosted a Primary Schools Quiz which saw three schools from each province participating.

Executive Head Marketing, Cynthia Muzira said the initiative has been going on for the past seven years.

“We have partnered ZAS in this initiative for over seven years now. This initiative brings together schools from all 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. We use the platform to cement/ build our relationships with participating schools. As you already aware, we are big on schools,”

She added that the initiative also aims at building relationships with the participating schools.

“We also use the same platform as a CSR initiative to provide financial literacy and promote environmental education.

“This year, our main thrust is on digital as reflected by the prizes we are giving to the winners. We have gone tech. We have sponsored ZAS-WEZ Schools Quiz- to the tune of US$4 000.

“Thirty schools will be participating with three schools from each of the 10 provinces. We use this platform to cement relationships/ build with participating schools, teachers and headmasters. It is also part of a CSR initiative to provide financial literacy and promote environmental education,” said Muzira.