Philani Moyo, a 27 year old woman from Zimbabwe, is fighting the traditional customs of inheritance, as she tries to stay in her childhood home. Her parents purchased the home, however both have since died, leaving Philani and her two sisters to reside in the home.
However, members of her paternal family are trying to get the sisters out of the home, citing traditional inheritance customs. According to customs, the family members, usually the males, will meet to decide how to settle the estate. The sisters feel they have been left out of the meetings and therefore did not have a say in how to settle the estate.
The issue raises many probate questions among African cultures, especially as governments try to push for more gender equality during the probate process. It remains to be seen how traditional custom will interact with government mandated probate, but many are currently caught up in the debacle.
