Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
THE City of Harare is proposing a steep hike in burial and cemetery fees starting next year, with some charges rising by more than 40 percent, triggering outrage among residents who say the proposed tariffs are unrealistic.
Under the draft 2026 cemetery tariffs, now open for public inspection and objection until December 1, 2025, adult burial fees at Warren Hills Cemetery are set to rise from US$275 to US$400 for residents, while non-resident burials will increase from US$300 to US$450.
For non-Zimbabweans, the cost will jump from US$395 to US$590, and exhumations will rise from US$350 to US$525.
Similar increases have been proposed across other cemeteries, with Granville A burials going up from US$225 to US$330, Mabvuku from US$150 to US$225 and memorial erection fees from US$100 to US$150.
The tariff adjustments are part of the city’s proposed 2026 budget, expected to take effect on January 1, 2026, if approved by the Ministry of Local Government.
However, residents’ associations and community representatives have condemned the proposals as unjustified and exclusionary, saying the new rates were introduced without meaningful consultation.
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Mr Reuben Akili said the proposed tariffs did not reflect the views or living conditions of residents.
“The current proposals are far from reality. There is no footprint of residents’ voices in this budget. It seems as if it was crafted elsewhere and is now being sneaked in through the back door,” he said.
He added that the city had failed to justify the increases given the poor state of existing cemetery facilities.
“Even if you look at Warren Hills — US$400 is just too much. There are no toilets, and the graveyards are not maintained as they should be. There is nothing to show for what people are paying.”
Mr Akili said the local authority should maintain current fees,.
“When charges are high like this, you actually see illegal burials. In 2008, we started witnessing people burying their relatives illegally.”
Another resident, Mr Madenyika Magwenjere, speaking in the “Residents Dialogue” WhatsApp group, said the new charges showed that the city was out of touch with the people.
“Death is not by choice, but unavoidable. It is deeply unfair to make burial a privilege only for those who can afford it,” he said.
