WIFE INHERITANCE

After the death of the husband (from any cause including AIDS), culture takes root immediately. The widow is regarded unclean and is not supposed to visit any home, market, garden etc until when she is inherited. If she enters a church, the other women will walk out and leave her a lone. On the day of inheritance, she is given  a man of the elder’s choice. She is not supposed to comment. They are locked inside to play sex. It is the initial sex play after the burial that cleanses the woman. She is now supposed to stay with this man as her keeper while all the children will be regarded as that of the dead husband. The woman is supposed to clothe, feed and maintain this man. The man can in turn run away due to poor maintenance. The greatest ignored danger here is the spread of Aids virus through this system. As a result of this practice, several homes are closed down. The man is infected and goes over to infect his matrimonial wife and the circle continues. The role of the Church in this issue is well defined in the bible. Once we get a place to gather, we will bomb this practice to its shell ! The women have continuosly expressed disatisfication of this practice but they can not come out of it for fear of marginalization.