WHO OWNS THE LAND WHEN A MARRIAGE FALLS APART?
BY SOPHIE MIRAMBO
Imagine a wife buys land, her husband builds a house and years later their marriage breaks down. Suddenly, the title deed becomes more controversial than the marriage certificate!
Under Tanzania’s Law of Marriage Act, a spouse may own property individually, but a matrimonial home enjoys specific legal protection. Section 59 provides protection for a spouse’s interest, including the right to protect it through a caveat or caution.
Couples should keep purchase agreements, payment records and construction receipts. Where separation becomes unavoidable, seek legal advice and resolve ownership through the courts rather than secretly changing documents or threatening one another.
If disagreements escalate into threats or violence, seek help from the police and trusted support services immediately.
Remember: A house can be divided by law, but a life taken by violence can never be restored. No plot of land is worth a human life.
sophy_mirambo@ yahoo.com
+255 685 240 004
