20120907 TZHC Mwanza

.. . :r .-.~ ::· .:~·. ·-~ ,J • • ' '.·. . ' • ~. J ' tr .· • · This is a·n··'appeal originating from a' matrimonial cause No. -:89/2009 .··.:. •. • ' .• ; , •. . . .''"• •. . • , '.;, • ~~, . • . :, '.':~. -~-- ~ •. • ..':n af f'1kllYLJf1i ·Primary c;ourt in vyhis:~· the a:ppellant succe~5.fµUy .._appli_ed for .:,_._. , . .,. - :; ·:· ·.-.v.)::~-~~-> :- _~· i .: ·.:. , · .. ·.· . .>:=:. •·. -.. ·. .~:-. .. -:·-.- · . ./ :: >:-· -.. ·•. ·_ ···. · · -_ ·- -_ ... divorce. :-.a·nd · distribution of rnatrJrnoniat as?ets. ,T:hif---t~spondent was ·: .... :,: . . • . :·· :· .· -~·;·: . .': : ·. '. . . r._~:i);i·: . . . .:J7:":'. ~:_.' .": . . .·, . . . . . . . . ;: .:: . . . ·:- . -~--- .. ·:- ·_: . ~ ~i ·\ . . ·. _; . dissatisfied ."vyi.th· the primary court's _decisiqh:;·e◊ distrJh.u:te::'Jhe matrirhonial: .,: ·. a~-~~ts equ~11\(s~ he successfully ap~~aled. t6·, t'he Ny~~-:~;ana _9istrict court : .·. ·.. which ·auo~ed i'the appeal and set :.~-side\th~. trial cou~~~ o~de,r givind .' th·~:. : .: '. '. The appell_ant_'~ rnajor complaint is_ based on division of matrimonial assets after the· distdct:. .. · ....:.:::. court . defaulted:.· the. trial court's decision to divide the •' assets by half.: tri addition to what' she stated in the grounds of appeal, .• . . £1 ·1r,,rr;E--- • . :l ...~pp~llan~~-'-··p(~Y~ tt,,e 'h~use\to •, \. ' ' • I. • • . . . ,. \ ~ ..~ . ,.; ,. • V' '> ••• '~~'1~Y Tshs/·. 3 . /6e/:6n,:· :B'et,;·-:p~·rf· .afi~-,·_:Je; .:the· ·.-·S·.,~·iJ,,~_. • -~ .··ft·:.. ": . . .'.. ~ t · 1,SPOi:P09/===. be givei:1. to the .-resf:)ohdent.:She .fµ[ther. . aske~ ·for_Jhe court to.·:. •••• < ~_-._:,:~·-·. ~ . . . . Jt!(>·:•::· -~• . ·.· .. . . . . '.•.: . .·..:,;--<,,'\·.· ~- t_.::· .. · .. :·(:•"::•~i!-.-t- ~-- :.. allOWJtl~r;appe_al with'-costs. _,·._·>. <.. :.-:>': ~'- ,~_-.. ·__'.:./ :.· _.. · · ::_--::._:-ll-'\.:.·· . /· _'. . ;_-L!J,/;:,: :_:., :- ,_ _,p1,< · ·.·. ·.·.•· -:,_;-_ _ :. _ :- ___ - :;.~·-·_·_..:i \-~ ._- ·Or;f(Q~;parffhe Responde:nt conceded ·that ,;th~- housEf)s theirs'~as he . -=-··. ·\~~~-- _,;:~ . >{~·.t -~,~,;"':]i~:~;"j~~··;;:~•...... .•· . ..: .· . ,: . -~;:: >I'.. > . . ·_::·:. ·"·_: ·,.,. . ·,. ·.· _·: gg!lds;-i~J¥flfl~_;.th~lt1.ma_rriage·~as in ,$ubsisten~~~-- ·BtJt Jie coriten,d that· since . ... ·....... ·-:.'_. . . :. ·. <. :1~/ ." ; . ~~.!.!·.:-·\·.•. -~~· ~-:; . .~. ·.. ·_::.~ :.~·... . . .. . ' .. :}:···. .: . . . . . ~ ·. : :::~RpeUant)s the ;.ohef 'who divorced him,. he:-,~bn't. see why ·should she be .: . . . . . . ... : ~ . ·.. ·• ': . r... ••.:: .. '' .. . . .' . : .. . . ~ ~ r ,t • • • ·: •• • • • • .. : • ~... ..•. ' .••• •... '. • .. : ' ·: •• •• • . • '. '! • • .... ·_. given:: the-.hous~· wnu~:she d$t:id~·-tE(1¢.ay~~- it ·t::te::~:"e_tjemeritly arg·ued that the hC~:si is.-·only·· .. . . . . . . . , :6·h,~ -whiJe in- r~jQ(ri'd~1<the a~pe1r~·;;·t. . _;~intaYned. 'tti:at the ' . .. . :~ . . . ~ . house:s·· Jr~ two s~fshe has a· rjgh·t:'.of one of the 'hbJses .. She h.a$··;sked the . _·:·.: ..... ··_,:.·· -~· ·. ··;~. . -.~{ ~\ . : '• ,_.\• . :, ,• ' . .·<.:1:~/~:· . . court to. distribute·. . .. . . :·one of the hoµse . . to her to·. enable her... _earriJrom· . ' . it by •· . •· ~ . ,, renting it. /~ . •, l •' ;.-;. .,·· •· .... . . . ·,. . .. \ .: ~ .... . . .... In deed the basis of the -'Ji~ict ~ou:~ 1~i~Ofr iS thclt there was . , ....1'~ -· • ', . clear evidence that the wife's ( appeilant) contribution was two iron sheets, -·••, domestic 9~ties and fetching of water for the construction of the house in : _: ' issue·.and tbF1t-app~Hant was only doing 'mama ntilie' business. The District Court. d~cid~J\h~;r~fore that appella~~:\s entitled to a farewell gift .of Tshs . ..... ;·/ .... _·. .. :~ .:.~. .:.·~::·· '"; ·· ... '.' ' 1,S00,000(~:::_pnly,.. The District Courf in fortifying its ,,decision cited as an l- - authority .case: of -~~~i~ M~~rid~ ~s Mohamed Ibrahim (1~·;9) TLR) 162 where . it was held inter-alia>that:--~f~ .. •. .. "(iii) ·there must . be evidence to show the extent of contr_ibution ·before making . . ......... ... '; ·:. an order for distribution of matrimonial assets; (iv) Performance of domestic duties amounts to contribution towards such acquisirioh but not necessarily 50%. " 2 .: .• ..i::· •• :. ~- :~·;(~ : : :·:~. •. ' •. •• • •• ~. _.· _ ;,·._- · ·: .. _._· :_ :_\·.~_-_;:._:.:. __-,._:_f_y::-~:_:· ,·_ -·:·.. :.'.'._:_>_.,_~~__ :.:~_-._<_ i-_· _ . .-._. :·_ .·_ . .,_. _. ._· ,. _·:· _-.: ·:;·_'.· . :-.\5 ·. ~ ·, ·-:-·. ·. :t;:r/:·.-..;:·:\\;.-;";,l~t>.i-..•-. ,;',. ' .. ~ ·- -~- - , •.....-: -_: ".-:,. . ·> . }\; . ..:-:. ~_/:-~ .-<.--}... . ..:. . :_ ... _\._ . . :...:_. _ ._:_ ·-·::\::r;---~ -:·i__·:. .::/-r:tri}.:: ·: ·:_. >-..... . .1/ · .... :'"'.Or :ti~basten ~~Hng:~JaLt'J~·ediiitrii;c,otirt:~i!S Ver/~r9~g ini\s. :,far -~- ? ....:· ·findih;;;_Jft~:-v~i:/ I . • . . .. . . . . wtorl ·g·_~-~tau~e:JL::is :;_.J~w~ "· -. ·... . :1~ttl,~d;··iaw,:that\th~-J-PrindJi~·;,~ . . ·.. . . ·. . I ·_.:u~de~lylng 'division' ~f :.hl_atri:rnonial ass~ts j5:.,6,ne ·or 2hn,pens~tion',, i1jdde~:·: I _ · · · ·· · ..·: . ~:-. . ,.: . -• :. · .- - '. ., -· · ·-. ·- ::-: ~ -. ·- .. : . · : .· ~ · ·· I . not make any,J.:differ~n~¢· ~h.ether wh~fj~·-. :being :·t9mp.erisafedi,J$,i\dtrect. . , .:.-:··_.·::·_: ~ . . :. ~;~, ··.:,. ··. . .· _;~-;. . . .· . ·.· ·. '._i;'•\);:_·.: : •.: ,. ·. ·. monetary_cq,ntri~utiorf qr_:9omestic se·rvices:.:. Th_is -pfinciple.,:~w9:~t·(~t: bith~ ... · _.. . .·.·.... ·. :· )· ·. :: ~- ·....... : .:·::J::-•' ~!~..... ·.. . • . :-: ·. ·, . . •:: : '.'"·:·.,';._ ~~;r--:,::':t. . ,·.· .· •. ·.. .,·_ ...... ' -Court of AJipeal_·.fo.' st Haw·a~s·case that- "(iJ,A(itce t~e w,~iiPj~fqJ;;:ft-,i;Pa,f,ify.jj'h.1··~·) · · · ··. _. . ·. · . . · · ~ ·· .: !•'=·f.J-..1:..,: •.,·'!-.:.-~fkt'··r-:~}_. ·:··:. •j: :-'"".f.fr,.-.~~ ~.-. . , .a. ·: . ·. ·.: .-:·• . · ... :.~,•.::-~:: .. ·. esse.tJtiaf _¢omponef!t pf. thct: econdri1ic.adlv/ties of atfamily m~m :~t-'.wornfih: i{Ys p~9fllrW:q · .· = · · . . .: . .-.·.·: ... ,- ...:L ~:·,:.:,:-:.,·, r. :a.·· .• :, · . .. ,, ':•<· :.·..-, . -:'·... ·f, '· i;,~·-•: .. ' .. :... ·. considet:contribution by . a,spouse.~to '-:-th,e· welfafe:1of the·rc1mi/y as-contrlbUtk;;f tcithe:· : :~:•\ .·: ·-.. : .: ·:· .' .;~-~.:-~.-t~-~·.,. . : . . .~. :~:·::·\.= .. <.··.·.:; · · .•.·=<.::~t!,1,/(~<·~ ·.>:-·.•.··:. :', .- . ~ ac;qi.Ji,sition of matiimoni~l:0ffami/y assets)},\·:.{:: .. ·... ·~ "·:- .< ·.':. · · · ·.· ··' · '·: .\( ,\:·:'i·. - - • ,;,'".,~.:•!' .a : l •, :• .' • •~:>:• •.·. ' ,' .•. •.,• 1:•,:-~.. • : ,j • • :•:\/ ?_.,'.".• . . .~•i.•:. :, :, •,~•-••,•,. :• .:_• .•..,•:.,.-,•.-.,•.:•,••.••.• . . <:// f:,_:_:·.·. . .· ·. '·. ·:·, :'.-/·'· \';'/ •. '.· '. ,• ,.·.' "'<.: '.·. '... : . '.·· ' .·. : :: -::·,' , · ·: (/if The· 'Joint efforts~:.a_nd 'work towards the·'"acquiring\'0'f:.the ?$Sets~.-have to be· ' .. · ... ·> ' ''. ' '.:,:; .. ·: '': .·. ·.· . construed as embracing the..'_domestic ''efforts~ or :"wo.rk~' of hu$bcit.Jd an.rl wife;" ( see Bi. Hawa's case (1983) TLR.3Z). ··. ·. · ..( . · . · ..,:.;-··· .:· . -::.-.· ·_.•·: ,·.: . ~ _ _: ..-. \\x<<}>_., . .,-.-:_,_". . • •. ' • i . •. • • •• • • •• , .• •• • . • ~ -After the decision by the Cbtirt of Appeal in Bi. Hawa's case the stance of the law has changed to what was decided in the case of Bibie Mauridi vs Mohamed Ibrahim (1989) TLR 162. . . . ,. . .. ·.,· '. . ' The l_egal principle on w~i-ctl division of mattimQ.h(qf~a·ssets. js based is , . . . ~ . :,: ::: . ,, . . ·. ·,· .. -~·; .·••.: . . one of giving':_;recognition to the·~ contribution 6f ttte(spduse towards the ' .4·~/;.::;-·· .:. ·.: ~: . . ·.. ..:::: ,;·_ acquisiti9n or::enhancement of-value of the particular.property. I • •· • "• • • • , , ~. ~~,. ,' . -;:·:.;_.:"' -··-:.· . •' _In this particular appeal it is not,"' _.in dispute that the two houses· acquired dur,ing the subsistence of the marriage. I'm saying the two houses . . .: , because··:in . .-the trial .: court . the evidence ~hich.:: . was . . not tbntested by the . , ~ respondent _is that they built two houses. According to the evidence of SM1, the appellant and I quote" Tulianza maisha ya kupanga mume wangu alinunua · kiwanja •. tu/ijenga chumba kimoja kwanza. Mimi nilikuwa nauza mama ntilie nilimpa nauli kutafuta kazi Shinyanga a/ipata akaja akaiongeza nyumba ikawa vyumba A-- 3 .. ·~ . :r.:; ~;· • ·• ,· : ·'. . .•: • ' ... ·'_i\;:_%.:.f'_._t'.}_·._·._/),:):' ,: - -.- : .: \: . /\ ' ,.._ . . · :. . '. ·. ·'. '-.~t;,_. . ./~'. . ::3 \·· : .. . . . ,_ . _. -~\-.'. ·. \, .". . ·.,·( V/nl)e. _Tukajenga tena hapohapo :_ya. vyiimba--' vita tu·.· vya (ofa/i ·. :.. · ,• .· ' • .: . . . -::i·:·: •.. , . ..:·. . . .... . . . za kuc_homa•. . :Mi1/t . • ._._:..", •·• '. :.,:·; '~ilik..i.iwa na_$Qmba,rpajf1:1a-kupikla, ¥ib.!!lJ.1_a/7 ·;.:_. ·.·.' - ' '··.-'.· ·. ?>::.: .. •, . . ··.·· .· ... ··:--;~,··. '.. · :::~~·:•_.·. -~- :-·;_: .. ·.:~·.::_ • •· • ; '• • •. ," • • • ~. .. . ·_:··':··. • • •••." • • r • • . _. ·... ,.·-.·· .. -~ . , ..... :t ...... : =:·~r-=;. = _,. •• :·. • • . . . .-. _•• -· ~.::·::•• -,·. .. - • . ~.. • • ........ ' : · :.~ :· ·_ . ·. -.,;-: O_n .xxo.· appellant m·aintained that she··.cdr-rtributed .even iron ·sheets. ,·,;._ =~-;\.·. . , ·sui':·~g;fM,!)h',_hiS''evidence'in: . '. -· -_:,~f\~. . ·/.,··-~~-:~_.:_ -...· .... . . . Chlef the respon,dent t~stifiea .· ·' - ·.. . . ··:· .. .; ..., ~~···.: .. -. . . :. . ·..... ~ ·:and I quote, II ' C ·:::·.:. baadfi.·~ya s1ughuli za shamb~ harakati za ndoa nae_· zit,ania ,tiika(unga: ndoa .kwao ... j.:,;·. ,-· . •'.\•:...-~~:._ \ ·=··:·. _!:·.: . ( --~ -· . ·· . .,· . -·: :. ·: '. .·- . ,'~ .15/1/20.(J,?. )'jilie{Jd~ nyumban(inorogoro lakini alililshauri;nimjengee· hyumba ndogo bi • .: ~ct.. _.,. • . ':. !:~•-~!',;:.. :;• : : . . . .: . . :.:-·.\·_ <. • . ,' . 0 . . .. . .!J1.dog/ij,Q/anza.:/(ujenga nyuinba ya pilftti!(i~1fi nae," ( empasis supplied) '-~- ·,:. ,,::.i:_:_-'_<~_;-·_:~·-:::·./'_~·-,··.' ·:..;:' " :_\·.:._.\~·i! 'ii:/·: . : ·:,:_. ·,. ~·- .. · :. ' .. · >:. ·_:_-:. Jt: js. obvi:ous 'from 'tt-1~. . above: quoted ·evidence that app~llant proved th<f-t¼.o ttOuse~ '.~ere bunt Wh~il'thei:r rriarriag~ wa~ .in subslste:~ce.' /· .:_.-:··~~~/-. _. . ·. :. ;·/·:_.::-=.:. ,,·• . "• , ____:. ;: ,~· .. ~.f:,?f..~.~~. . :. -> ~ -~-:_.:':-<·. ,'· < ••• -,.:-:~.: .. . . • . . .· . --~-:.. . . ., . . . _.: . . ,_ ' : . ~- . _. . : . .. . : :· . . . . . . , . . . . . ·The, District· court. th~refore misdi~ected itself on _the·. legal principle '. '. governing division ofm.atrim_qhial assets.: ,'~ ••~••, • •, N •, •.°.( _' • • • •• • • • • ' ~:/:· ' . -~,:(./>/-.:.. ·<~;-,.;.:,: - . . There is no dispute that the respondent·ft,lf~g~. in one of the two , I houses together with his young wife and that shou.ld be the one the responge.nt sa,idfiQe appellant advised him to build for the' young wife ·. ·. ~ · ..... :_ ....~... ~ . ~~~:. J -.·· ' ~ before tie· -~marries . . . when their marriage was still in subsistence. It means . . :• ~ ·. ., therefore·:the .... ·. house in- issue ..,:,_ is their old house, the one they were using as their matrimonial .house before divorce . ......, • The issue to ·6e determined is whether the appellant is entitled to the ~- . said house as shEifis: asking now. I'm satisfied from the _evidence on record that the two houses·· were acquired during the .stJbsistence of their ' ' ' (appellant and respondent) marriage. The appellanf::is therefore legally entitled to one of the houses, the then matrimonial house during their k- 4 ..... _.:. . ..... AT . ~-'~:ZA~-/'.:,: .. ··:-- . • ,, . ·.·· ... ,\_::" 07/09/2012 ., .. -· .. .. ,, . .. . .... • ., . ... .. . ·• ·• , ::>:· :~.~:. :.... _,.· ,· ·,·. ........ . .. ,.·.·.··: .. ·.·.•. . .. •,· . -~ -~-/.. .,.-.. .... .... •' ./ .. ,,