Zimbabweans Clash Over Rival Cultures

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Zimbabweans Clash Over Rival Cultures

Reuters (12/29/94)
Chigaru, Sibonginkosi

The generally conservative country of Zimbabwe is caught between Western and traditional values. Questions such as whether black Zimbabweans should have to pay for brides or just marry as they wish; whether men should continue to inherit the wives of their brothers; and what to do when an "inherited" wife has AIDS have provoked controversy in the southern African country. A recent white government paper on marriage and inheritance questions whether the bridal price, known as lobola, should be eliminated "in line with changing times and in the interest of gender equality." When a husband dies, in most cases his brothers inherit his family's property, leaving "rebellious" widows who do not want to be inherited without any means of livelihood. "Social values have changed now. Who wants to inherit a woman with AIDS?" asks Everjoice Win, head of a panel called Women in Law and Development in Africa. While most women's groups have welcomed the proposed changes on inheritance, which seek to divide family assets fairly, some men--traditionally heads of the family--regard them as a prescription for chaos and endless divorces. "In every organization there is only one boss," reasons a Zimbabwean male executive, outlining the views of most men. "If equality means there will be two bosses, perhaps the women should stay single and run their own homes," he concludes.

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