A revolution in the law of succession of Malawi

Abstract

The enactment in Malawi of the Wills and Inheritance (Kamuzu's Mbumba Protection) Ordinance, 1964, represents the most significant attempt at legal reform there in recent years. Its importance lies in the fact that it seeks to impose uniformity in an area of the law which had previously been dominated by diverse systems of customary rules. This piece of legislation is in no sense a codification or a restatement of the customary law; it strikes at the very roots of the existing customary systems. Although it is not the first attempt at reform in this area, it is novel in its ambitious aims and unequivocal implications of policy. Because of this, the degree of success which it enjoys will be closely followed by all those interested in the legal development of modern African states.