Esheria Esheria Statutes
Ask AI Sign in

Zambia Act or statute

Zambia legislation

Administrator-General's Act, 1925

This section gives the Act's short title: the Administrator-General's Act. This section defines key terms used in the Act, including Administrator-General, Commonwealth, Court, letters of administration, and next of kin.…

accountingadministrationadministration feesagencyasset administrationasset custodyasset disposalasset distributionauditcitationclaims against estateclaims by third partiesclaims handlingcompliancecompliance reportingcourt application noticecourt applicationscourt noticecourt procedurecourt representationcreditor noticedebt priorityestate administrationestate claimsestate distributionestate expensesestate handlingestate successionexecutor/administrator paymentsinformation requestsletters of administrationliabilityminor beneficiariesnotice requirementspartnership accountingpayments from estatespersonal representativesprobateprobate administrationproof of claimsproperty preservationpublic administrationpublic revenuesrecord keepingregulatory administrationreporting dutiesrevocation of grantrulemakingsale of goodsshort titletrust administrationunclaimed property
Jurisdiction
Zambia
Structure
32 provisions
Citation
Act 20 of 1925
Dates
As at 31 Dec 1996
More statute details
Dates
As at 31 Dec 1996

Publicly available, excluded from search-engine indexing

This page remains available for direct research for the following reasons:

  • The record does not meet this release's canonical indexing criteria. (market-indexing-disabled)
  • The record does not meet this release's canonical indexing criteria. (emergency-noindex)
On this page

Professional statute overview

Enactment structure, operative effect and source provenance

Official source

01

Purpose and legislative effect

“This section gives the Act's short title: the Administrator-General's Act.”

This section gives the Act's short title: the Administrator-General's Act. This section defines key terms used in the Act, including Administrator-General, Commonwealth, Court, letters of administration, and next of kin. The Public Service Commission may appoint an Administrator-General and Assistant Administrators-General. The Administrator-General can sue and be sued, appear in court in cases he is party to, and may start proceedings against another estate in his role as personal representative, but cannot appear in person on behalf of both estates in the same proceedings. A District Secretary must act as the Administrator-General’s agent in the district if the Administrator-General asks. District Secretaries must promptly report certain deaths to the Administrator-General and provide further estate-related information when required.

02

How the instrument operates

  1. 01

    Start with the recorded version

    As at 31 Dec 1996. The date shown identifies this source expression and should not be treated as proof that no later change exists.

  2. 02

    Locate the controlling provision

    Use the provision map, part headings and full-text filter to move from the broad subject to the exact legal language.

  3. 03

    Read conditions and exceptions together

    Keep subsections, definitions, provisos and cross-references in context before drawing a legal conclusion.

  4. 04

    Verify currency and official wording

    Confirm later legislation, commencement notices and corrections with the official publisher before advice, filing or reliance.

03

Research entry points

Selected provisions across the instrument. Open any row to continue with the exact stored text.

04

Source and current-law status

Source record view

Source record from zambialii.org · As at 31 Dec 1996

Verify current force

The source record does not state a definitive current-law status. Check the official publisher and later amendments before relying on this text.

For advice, pleadings, or compliance decisions, retain the official source and confirm the current consolidated provision.

Official record

Source-indexed provision map

Sections and provisions

Search by section, heading, part or exact legal wording. Every result remains linked to the stored source record.

Showing 32 of 32 provisions

Provision 19Amendment 11Short titleCommencement
§ 1Short title ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1Short title

This section gives the Act's short title: the Administrator-General's Act.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Administrator-General's Act.
Section 1Verify source
§ 2Interpretation .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1Amendment

This section defines key terms used in the Act, including Administrator-General, Commonwealth, Court, letters of administration, and next of kin.

2. Interpretation In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— "Administrator-General" means the Administrator of Estates appointed under this Act and includes an Assistant Administrator-General; "Commonwealth" means— (a) the self-governing members of the Commonwealth; (b) all British Colonies; (c) all states and territories under the protection of Her Britannic Majesty through Her Government in the United Kingdom; and (d) all territories administered by governments of the Commonwealth in accordance with a mandate from the League of Nations or under the trusteeship system of the United Nations; "Court" means the High Court, or any court subordinate thereto to which jurisdiction hereafter may be given; "letters of administration" includes any letters of administration whether general or with a copy of the will annexed or limited in time or otherwise; "next of kin" includes a widower or widow of a deceased person or any other person who by law would be entitled to letters of administration in preference to a creditor or legatee of the deceased. [As amended by No. 31 of 1959, S.I. No. 72 of 1964 and No. 14 of 1968]
Section 2Verify source
§ 3Appointment of Administrator-General .................................................................................................................................................. 1Amendment

The Public Service Commission may appoint an Administrator-General and Assistant Administrators-General. The Administrator-General can sue and be sued, appear in court in cases he is party to, and may start proceedings against another estate in his role as personal representative, but cannot appear in person on behalf of both estates in the same proceedings.

3. Appointment of Administrator-General (1) The Public Service Commission may appoint an Administrator-General and as many Assistant Administrators-General as may from time to time be required. (2) The Administrator-General shall be a corporation sole by the name of the Administrator-General and shall have perpetual succession, and an official seal, and may sue and be sued in his corporate name. (3) The Administrator-General shall be entitled to appear in Court, either in person or by counsel, in any proceeding to which he is a party. By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 1 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia (4) The Administrator-General, in his capacity of personal representative of any estate, may institute and carry on proceedings against another estate notwithstanding that he is personal representative of such other estate: Provided that in any such proceedings he shall not be entitled to appear in Court in person on behalf of both estates. [As amended by No. 31 of 1959 and G.N. No. 303 of 1964]
Section 3Verify source
§ 4District Secretary to act as agent of Administrator-General ........................................................................................................... 2Provision

A District Secretary must act as the Administrator-General’s agent in the district if the Administrator-General asks.

4. District Secretary to act as agent of Administrator-General The District Secretary of any District shall, at the request of the Administrator-General act as his agent within such District: Provided that nothing herein contained shall affect the power of the Administrator-General to appoint such other agents as he shall think fit.
Section 4Verify source
§ 5Duties of District Secretary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2Provision

District Secretaries must promptly report certain deaths to the Administrator-General and provide further estate-related information when required.

5. Duties of District Secretary (1) When a person dies in Zambia, the District Secretary of the District in which the death occurs shall, upon receiving notice of such death or upon such death coming to his knowledge, forthwith report such death to the Administrator-General. (2) When a person dies outside Zambia leaving property in Zambia, the District Secretary of the District in which such property is situate shall, upon such death coming to his knowledge forthwith report such death to the Administrator-General. (3) The District Secretary of the District in which the death occurs and the District Secretary of the District in which property belonging to such deceased person is situate shall perform such further duties in connection with the estate of the deceased person and provide such further information about the deceased person as the Administrator-General may from time to time require. [No. 31 of 1959]
Section 5Verify source
§ 6Intermeddling with property of deceased prohibited ....................................................................................................................... 2Amendment

A person must not take, move, or otherwise interfere with property left in Zambia by a deceased person unless authorised or urgently needed for preservation; urgent preservation actions must be reported to the Administrator-General immediately.

6. Intermeddling with property of deceased prohibited (1) When a person dies, whether within or without Zambia, leaving property within Zambia, any person who, without being duly authorised by law, or without the authority of the Administrator- General or a District Secretary, takes possession of, causes to be moved or otherwise intermeddles with any such property, save in so far as may be urgently necessary for the preservation thereof, shall be guilty of an offence; and any person taking any action in regard to any such property for the preservation thereof shall forthwith report particulars of the property and of the steps taken to the Administrator-General; and if he fails so to report, he shall be guilty of an offence. (2) Any person convicted of an offence under this section shall be liable to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred penalty units, or to both, but without prejudice to any civil liabilities he may have incurred. [As amended by No. 31 of 1959 and Act No. 13 of 1994]
Section 6Verify source
§ 7Cases in which Administrator-General may apply for probate or letters of administration ................................................. 2Amendment

The Administrator-General may apply to court for probate or letters of administration in specified estate cases, and must do so within a reasonable time in some situations.

7. Cases in which Administrator-General may apply for probate or letters of administration When a person dies leaving property in Zambia, the Administrator-General may apply to the Court for probate or letters of administration (as the case requires) in the following cases: (a) where the deceased has left a will, but has failed to appoint an executor; By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 2 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia (b) where the deceased has left a will, and the executor therein named has pre-deceased the testator or renounced probate or signified his intention of not applying for probate; (c) where the deceased has left a will appointing the Administrator-General his executor; (d) where the deceased has died intestate as to his property in Zambia; and if no person to whom the Court would have jurisdiction to grant probate or letters of administration has, in the opinion of the Administrator-General, taken or is taking action with reasonable expedition to obtain probate or letters of administration, the Administrator-General shall, within a reasonable time after he has had notice of the death of any such person or the death has come to his knowledge, apply to the Court for probate or letters of administration (as the case requires). [cases in which Administrator-General must apply] [As amended by No. 31 of 1959]
Section 7Verify source
§ 8Administrator-General or agent may protect property pending application ............................................................................. 3Provision

The Administrator-General or District Secretary may take possession of a deceased person’s property in Zambia to protect it, but only if they think that is advisable, and they must not deal with it except as urgently necessary before probate or letters of administration are granted.

8. Administrator-General or agent may protect property pending application When any person dies leaving property within Zambia, the Administrator-General or the District Secretary within whose District such property may be, may, when he shall deem it advisable for the protection of such property, take possession thereof without any order of the Court, but shall not deal therewith otherwise than may be urgently necessary, before a grant of probate or letters of administration.
Section 8Verify source
§ 9Administrator-General may be appointed executor ........................................................................................................................... 3Provision

Any person may appoint the Administrator-General as executor of a will.

9. Administrator-General may be appointed executor Any person may appoint the Administrator-General to be executor of his will.
Section 9Verify source
§ 10Notice of application to Court ................................................................................................................................................................. 3Provision

The Administrator-General must publish notice in the Gazette at least 14 days before applying for probate or letters of administration.

10. Notice of application to Court The Administrator-General shall cause notice of his intention to apply for probate or letters of administration to be published in the Gazette at least fourteen days before making the application and the cost of such publication shall in every case be deemed to be a testamentary expense and be payable out of the estate of the deceased, whether such estate be administered by the Administrator-General or any other person.
Section 10Verify source
§ 11Granting of probate or letters of administration .............................................................................................................................. 3Provision

The Court may grant probate or letters of administration to the Administrator-General, and the usual notice of intention to apply may be waived in urgent risk or delay situations. The Administrator-General does not have to provide an administration bond or other security when letters are granted to him by that name.

11. Granting of probate or letters of administration Upon such application, the Court may grant probate or letters of administration (as the case may be) to the Administrator-General accordingly: Provided always that in any case where the Court is satisfied that danger of misappropriation, deterioration or waste of the estate is otherwise to be apprehended, or that great expense would be incurred by delay in the matter, the aforesaid notice of intention to apply may be dispensed with. 12. No bond required from Administrator-General The Administrator-General shall not be required by the Court to enter into any administration bond, or to give other security to the Court on the grant of any letters of administration to him by that name.
Section 11Verify source
§ 13Grant of probate or letters of administration vest property in Administrator-General ....................................................... 3Provision

If probate or letters of administration are granted to the Administrator-General, the deceased person’s property and the executor/administrator’s related rights and duties vest in the Administrator-General.

13. Grant of probate or letters of administration vest property in Administrator-General Where probate or letters of administration of the estate of a deceased person is or are granted to the Administrator-General, all the property of the deceased person and the rights and duties of an executor or administrator in relation thereto, as the case may be, shall vest in the Administrator-General as holder of the office of Administrator-General. By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 3 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia
Section 13Verify source
§ 14Administrator-General as trustee ............................................................................................................................................................ 4Provision

The Administrator-General may act as trustee for certain trusts and is treated as a trust corporation for laws that require multiple trustees or a trust corporation.

14. Administrator-General as trustee (1) The Administrator-General may act as trustee in the administration of trusts, contained in any will or implied by law, to which property vested in him as the personal representative of a deceased person becomes subject by the terms of such will or by operation of law. (2) For the purposes of any law requiring that there be either two or more personal representatives or trustees or a trust corporation, the Administrator-General shall be deemed to be a trust corporation. [No. 31 of 1959]
Section 14Verify source
§ 15Where deceased member of partnership, surviving partner to account .................................................................................. 4Amendment

If a partner in a business partnership dies, the surviving partner(s) must give the Administrator-General a full and true statement of the partnership’s affairs within two months, and include specified asset and liability details.

15. Where deceased member of partnership, surviving partner to account (1) When a person dies being a member of a partnership carrying on business in Zambia, the surviving partner or partners shall, as soon as possible, and in no case later than two months after the death, furnish to the Administrator-General a full and true statement of the affairs of the partnership at the time of death: Provided that when no surviving partner is in Zambia at the time of death, such statement shall be furnished within two months after the arrival of any partner within Zambia. Such statement shall contain— (i) particulars, including values, of the freehold and leasehold property of the partnership; (ii) particulars of cash of the partnership in hand or in bank; (iii) particulars of the book and other debts of the partnership showing the names and addresses of debtors; (iv) particulars of the stock-in-trade, plant, machinery, fittings and other personal estate not included under the foregoing headings; (v) particulars of the liabilities of the partnership with the names and addresses of the creditors; (vi) such other particulars as the Administrator-General upon reasonable notice may require. (2) Any person refusing or neglecting to comply with this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any period not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding three thousand penalty units, or to both. [As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994]
Section 15Verify source
§ 16Duty to supply information ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4Amendment

The Administrator-General may require a person who can give information about a deceased person or the deceased person’s property to do so by written notice.

16. Duty to supply information When the Administrator-General believes that any person is capable of giving information concerning a deceased person or his property, he may by written notice require such person to supply such information within the time stated in the written notice, and any person being capable of giving such information who fails to comply with such written notice shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred penalty units, or to both. [As amended by Act No. 31 of 1959 and Act No. 13 of 1994]
Section 16Verify source
§ 17Grant to Administrator-General may be revoked and grant made toother person ............................................................... 4Provision

A qualified person may ask the Court to revoke a grant made to the Administrator-General and give the grant to that person instead, but only after giving the Administrator-General seven days’ notice of the intention to apply.

17. Grant to Administrator-General may be revoked and grant made toother person At any time after grant of probate or letters of administration to the Administrator-General under this Act, any person to whom the Court might have granted administration if no such grant had been made to the Administrator-General, may apply to the Court for revocation of such grant, and for grant to himself of probate or letters of administration; but no such application shall be made until seven days after notice of intention to make it shall have been given to the Administrator-General. By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 4 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia
Section 17Verify source
§ 18Application to Court for revocation ....................................................................................................................................................... 5Provision

On application, the Court may revoke a grant to the Administrator-General and give probate or letters of administration to the applicant.

18. Application to Court for revocation (1) Upon such application, the Court, after hearing the Administrator-General if he appears, may revoke the grant to the Administrator-General and grant probate or letters of administration to the applicant, subject to such limitations and conditions as it may think fit. (2) Upon such revocation and new grant, all the interest, powers, rights and duties of the Administrator-General in regard to the estate affected by such grant, and all liabilities of the Administrator-General under any contract or agreement entered into by him in relation to such estate or any part thereof, shall cease; and such portion of the estate as shall be left unadministered by the Administrator-General shall vest in the executor or administrator obtaining such new grant, subject nevertheless to all lawful contracts theretofore made relating to such estate and to the allowance and payment of all outlays, disbursements, costs, fees, charges and expenses reasonably incurred in the administration thereof.
Section 18Verify source
§ 19Administrator-General to make inventory and keep accounts ..................................................................................................... 5Amendment

The Administrator-General must inventory estates, keep accounts and records, open an approved bank account for those accounts, and ensure the account is audited; he may destroy certain no-value private papers received with an estate.

19. Administrator-General to make inventory and keep accounts (1) The Administrator-General shall cause a complete inventory to be made of every estate of which administration is committed to him, and shall keep an account of all receipts, payments and dealings with every such estate; and he shall retain all letters received, and copies of all letters written by him, and all deeds, writings and papers relating to such estate: Provided that the Administrator-General may in his discretion destroy any private papers, bills, receipts, memoranda and other similar documents of no value, which he has received along with the estate. (2) For the purpose of keeping the said accounts, the Administrator-General shall cause to be opened at a bank to be approved by the Minister an account to be called the "Administrator-General's Account" and payments of money into and out of such account shall be made in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Minister may direct. (3) The Administrator-General's Account shall be audited by or on behalf of the Auditor-General at such intervals as the Auditor-General shall deem necessary. [As amended by No. 31 of 1959 and G.N. No. 303 of 1964]
Section 19Verify source
§ 20Notice to creditors and claimants .......................................................................................................................................................... 5Provision

If administration has been committed to him, the Administrator-General must publish a Gazette notice asking creditors and others to send in their claims against the estate.

20. Notice to creditors and claimants In every case where administration shall have been committed to him, the Administrator-General shall cause a notice to be published in the Gazette calling upon creditors and others to send in to him their claims against the estate on or before the date mentioned in such notice, which shall not be less than one month after the date of the publication of such notice.
Section 20Verify source
§ 21Distribution of assets .................................................................................................................................................................................. 5Provision

After the claims notice period ends, the Administrator-General may distribute the assets to entitled parties, but is not liable for assets distributed to someone whose claim was not noticed then.

21. Distribution of assets At the expiration of the time mentioned in the notice referred to in the preceding section for sending in claims, the Administrator-General shall be at liberty to distribute the assets or any part thereof amongst the parties entitled thereto, having regard to the claims of which he shall then have had notice, and he shall not be liable for the assets or any part thereof so distributed to any person of whose claim he shall not have had notice at the time of the distribution of the said assets or any part thereof, as the case may be; but nothing herein contained shall prejudice the right of any creditor or claimant to follow the assets or any part thereof into the hands of the person or persons who may have received the same respectively.
Section 21Verify source
§ 22Proof of claims may be required ............................................................................................................................................................ 5Provision

The Administrator-General may require a claimant to prove a claim or confirm its validity within a notice period of at least one month.

22. Proof of claims may be required When the Administrator-General has received notice of a claim against an estate, administration of which has been committed to him, he may by a written notice served personally or by post require the claimant prior to a date to be named in such notice, which shall not be less than one month from the service of such By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 5 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia notice, either to institute proceedings to establish the claim, or to satisfy the Administrator-General of the validity of the claim by affidavit or otherwise; at the expiration of the time mentioned in such notice, the Administrator-General shall be at liberty to distribute the assets or any part thereof amongst the parties entitled thereto, without having regard to the claims of persons who shall have been served with such notice, but shall have failed to comply with the requirements thereof, and he shall not be liable to any such person for the assets or any part thereof; but nothing herein contained shall prejudice the right of any such person to follow the assets or any part thereof into the hands of the person or persons who may have received the same respectively.
Section 22Verify source
§ 23Fees of Administrator-General ................................................................................................................................................................. 6Provision

The Administrator-General’s fees are to be prescribed from time to time, and those fees may be retained, paid, and deducted from money received during administration.

23. Fees of Administrator-General (1) There shall be charged in respect of the duties of the Administrator-General such fees as may from time to time be prescribed. (2) Expenses Any expenses which might be retained or paid out of any estate in the charge of the Administrator- General, if he were a private administrator of such estate, shall be so retained and paid and the fees prescribed under subsection (1) shall be retained and paid in like manner in addition to such expenses: such fees, charges and reimbursements shall have priority over all debts of the deceased and may be deducted from any moneys received by the Administrator-General in the course of the administration.
Section 23Verify source
§ 24Payments to executors, etc., in country of domicile ....................................................................................................................... 6Amendment

The Administrator-General may pay the balance of an estate to the person entitled to probate or administration in the deceased’s domicile country, after local debts and expenses are paid.

24. Payments to executors, etc., in country of domicile When the Administrator-General has been granted letters of administration of the estate in Zambia of any person who was at the time of his death domiciled, or who appears to the Administrator-General to have been then domiciled in any part of the Commonwealth other than Zambia, and probate of whose will or administration of whose estate in the place of such domicile or apparent domicile has been granted to some person there, the Administrator-General may pay over to such person the balance of the estate after payment of proved debts of creditors resident in Zambia and funeral and administration expenses, without seeing to the application of such balance and without incurring any liability in regard to such payment. [As amended by No. 31 of 1959 and No. 14 of 1968]
Section 24Verify source
§ 25Assets received from outside Zambia ................................................................................................................................................... 6Provision

If an estate is handled by the Administrator-General and he receives assets that were outside Zambia when the deceased died, those assets must be treated like assets within Zambia at death.

25. Assets received from outside Zambia Where administration of an estate has been committed to the Administrator-General and he receives assets which at the time of the death of the deceased were situate outside Zambia, such assets shall be treated in the same manner as assets within Zambia at the time of death.
Section 25Verify source
§ 26Court may appoint persons to receive minor's share ..................................................................................................................... 6Provision

If a beneficiary is a minor, the Court may appoint a parent or other suitable person to receive the minor’s share, and the Administrator-General may then pay the share to that person.

26. Court may appoint persons to receive minor's share Where any person entitled to a share under the will or in the distribution of the estate of a deceased person whose estate is being administered by the Administrator-General is a minor, the Court may, upon the application of the Administrator-General, appoint the father or mother of such minor or some other suitable person to receive the share of such minor on his behalf and, upon such appointment being made, the Administrator-General may pay the share of such minor to such person on behalf of such minor, and the receipt of such person shall be a full and complete discharge to the Administrator-General so far as regards such share.
Section 26Verify source
§ 27Assets unclaimed for twelve years to be transferred to general revenues .............................................................................. 6Amendment

Assets held by the Administrator-General for 12 years or more, without a payment claim being made and granted, must be transferred to general revenues unless a related court case is pending.

27. Assets unclaimed for twelve years to be transferred to general revenues (1) All assets in charge of the Administrator-General which have been in his custody for a period of twelve years or upwards without any application for payment thereout having been made and granted by him, shall be transferred to the credit of the general revenues of the Republic: Provided that this section shall not authorise the transfer of such assets as aforesaid if any suit or proceeding is pending in respect thereof in any Court. By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 6 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia (2) If, before the end of such twelve years, it is claimed and proved by the Government to the satisfaction of the Court that any assets in the hands of the Administrator-General are bona vacantia, then such assets shall at once become the absolute property of the Government, but shall be subject to the power of disposal conferred on the President by section twenty-eight. [As amended by No. 31 of 1937]
Section 27Verify source
§ 28Power of President to dispose of same ............................................................................................................................................... 7Provision

The President may dispose of or distribute assets transferred to the Government under section 27, in whole or in part, to the deceased’s kindred or other persons, in whatever shares or manner he thinks fit.

28. Power of President to dispose of same It shall be lawful for the President to dispose of or distribute either the whole or any part of the assets transferred to the Government under the provisions of section twenty-seven to or amongst any kindred of the deceased or such other persons in such shares or manner as he shall think fit.
Section 28Verify source
§ 29Power for Administrator-General to administer where assets are less than K200 ............................................................... 7Amendment

The Administrator-General may administer a deceased person’s estate without probate or letters of administration if the estate is worth no more than K200 and the other stated conditions are met.

29. Power for Administrator-General to administer where assets are less than K200 (1) When the gross value of the estate situated in Zambia of a deceased person does not exceed two hundred kwacha, and the Administrator-General is entitled in terms of section seven to apply to the Court for probate or letters of administration (as the case requires), the Administrator-General may, if he thinks fit, himself undertake the administration of the estate without obtaining probate or letters of administration: Provided that the Administrator-General shall not, under the power conferred by this section, undertake the administration of an estate if there has been any previous grant of probate of the will of the deceased or of letters of administration of his estate, unless and until such grant has been revoked. (2) The Administrator-General shall inform the Court of every administration which he undertakes under this section, and shall publish in the Gazette a notice (which may be combined with the notice for creditors) of his having undertaken the administration and, on the publication of such notice, the estate of the deceased shall vest in the Administrator-General as such: Provided that when the gross value of the estate in Zambia does not exceed the sum of forty kwacha, the Court may direct that publication of any notice required under this Act may be dispensed with and, upon such direction being given, the estate of the deceased shall vest in the Administrator-General as such. (3) The Administrator-General shall, for the purpose of an administration under this section, have the same powers and be subject to the same obligations as if letters of administration of the estate of the deceased had been duly granted to him. (4) The Administrator-General shall have full power to settle finally and without appeal all disputes and questions which may arise in the course of an administration by him under this section, including claims by creditors, but may, if he thinks fit, allow an appeal to the Court or may himself apply to the Court for directions. (5) In settling such disputes or questions, the Administrator-General may, if he thinks it expedient in the interests of justice or with a view to saving expense, act on information which appears to him to be credible though it is not legal evidence. [No. 10 of 1926 as amended by No. 31 of 1959]
Section 29Verify source
§ 30Administrator-General or his agents not liable for acts done in performance of their duties .......................................... 7Provision

The Administrator-General and his agents are generally not personally liable for acts done in good faith while carrying out their duties, except where the act was illegal and wilful or grossly negligent.

30. Administrator-General or his agents not liable for acts done in performance of their duties Neither the Administrator-General nor any of his agents shall be personally liable to any person in respect of goods or chattels in the possession at the time of the death of any person whose estate shall be administered by the Administrator-General which shall be sold by the Administrator-General or such agents, unless the Administrator-General or agent shall know or have actual notice before the sale that such goods or chattels were not in fact the property of the person whose estate is being administered by By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 7 Administrator-General's Act, 1925 (Chapter 58) Zambia him, and generally neither the Administrator-General nor any agent shall be liable for any act done by him bona fide in the supposed and the intended performance of his duties, unless it shall be shown that such act was done not only illegally, but wilfully or with gross negligence: Provided always that, in case of any sale by the Administrator-General or any agent of goods or chattels belonging in fact to any third person, the amount realised by such sale shall be paid over to the owner upon proof by him of such ownership, unless the same shall have already been applied in payment of the debts of the deceased or shall have been distributed in the ordinary course of administration whilst the Administrator-General or agent was in ignorance and without actual notice of the claim of such person to the goods or chattels sold.
Section 30Verify source
§ 31Estates being administered by Registrar of High Court ................................................................................................................. 8Commencement

The Administrator-General is treated as having been granted letters of administration for certain estates already being administered by the Registrar of the High Court at the Act’s commencement.

31. Estates being administered by Registrar of High Court The Administrator-General shall be deemed to have been granted letters of administration to all estates which would have been subject to this Act but which were at the commencement of this Act being administered by the Registrar of the High Court.
Section 31Verify source
§ 32This Act not to apply to estates administered in terms of African customary law ............................................................... 8Provision

The Act does not apply to certain estates unless the court first orders that they not be administered under African customary law.

32. This Act not to apply to estates administered in terms of African customary law (1) This Act shall not apply to the administration of the estate of any person to which the provisions of subsection (1) of section thirty-six of the Local Courts Act apply, unless the Court shall have first made an order or given directions that such estate shall not be administered in terms of African customary law. (2) Nothing contained in this Act or in any other written law shall require or be deemed to require the Administrator-General, except where he thinks it is in the interest of justice so to do, to make an application to a local court claiming that the estate of a deceased person should not be administered in terms of African customary law. [No. 14 of 1968]
Section 32Verify source
§ 33Rules .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8Amendment

The Minister may make rules by statutory instrument for carrying out this Act and for regulating the Administrator-General’s proceedings.

33. Rules The Minister may, by statutory instrument, make rules for the better carrying out of the purposes and provisions of this Act, and for regulating the proceedings of the Administrator-General. [As amended by G.N. No. 303 of 1964] By Laws.Africa and contributors. Licensed under CC-BY. Share widely and freely. 8
Section 33Verify source

Legislative relationships

3 referenced instruments

Names are derived from the stored provision headings and citation-enrichment layer. Treat this as a research index and verify each relationship against the source text.

A–F

2 instruments

  • African customary law ............................................................... 8 The Act

    Section 32

  • Estates appointed under this Act

    Section 2

G–M

1 instrument

  • High Court at the Act

    Section 31

Recorded versions and source checkpoint

1 version available in this collection

Current-law checkpoint
  • 31 Dec 1996 · currentEnglish

This relationship view does not by itself establish whether another instrument remains in force.

Check official source

Source-linked research

Ask AI about this statute

The overview, provisions, and source records above are public. Continue in a separate conversation with this statute’s jurisdiction and source version attached.

About this LexChat collection

Statute information is organised from identified legislative sources for professional research. Corrections can be reported to hello@esheria.ai.