dyton mupawaenda
Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter
Reports about a man setting up an unlawful cemetery in Harare where he had the temerity to bury more than 50 bodies from unsuspecting bereaved families raised several questions regarding how people were valuing the sanctity of life, respect for the dead and the extent to which one can go to break the law for self-serving purposes.
Last week, we carried reports about one John Rukodzi (49), the owner of Rukodzi Parish Cemetery, who was running an illegal cemetery, cashing in on unsuspecting bereaved families, a few metres away from Zororo Memorial Park along Seke Road.
This must just be a tip of an iceberg on the extent some people could not only disregard the law, but abhor traditional values that are the bedrock of who we are as Africans, let alone as Zimbabweans.
Questions that come to the fore are not only legal issues but traditional issues as to why an African, a Zimbabwean in particular would disregard traditional beliefs and customs of decent burial given that our belief system, particularly respect for the dead is entrenched in our African culture and is heavily revered.
Rukodzi was arrested for fraud after he made rich pickings from levying US$80 to unsuspecting bereaved families some of whom were duped into believing that they were carrying a lawful process because their burial order bore a name of an adjacent Zororo Memorial Park which is a legitimate entity.
Other bereaved families could have been aware that they were burying their loved ones at an undesignated area but were enticed by the apparent low charges levied by the fly-by-night unscrupulous, but enterprising man.
Burying of people adjacent to a professionally run cemetery such as Zororo Memorial Park will naturally draw an adverse effect in terms of its reputation given the high standards that it has been renowned for.
Zororo Memorial Park had written its fairy tale in running low-cost cemetery business yet providing high standards in terms of providing ancillary services such as ablution facilities and well trained undertakers, among other virtues.
It also turned out that the place under which the illegal burials were taking place is a red zone, a protected security place where aircraft prepare to land at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
As it was revealed in The Herald last week, Rukodzi has several other pending cases of this nature.
There have also been similar reports with regard to other places such as Granville Cemetery commonly known as “Kumbudzi” in Harare South where unscrupulous individuals have been initiating the burial of deceased persons at undesignated places.
In the present case, bereaved families would bear burial orders from Registrar General’s Office ostensibly showing Zororo Memorial Park as the place of interment.
Questions abound as to why a person would have a burial order bearing a name of a place divorced from the actual destination.
Could there be something or loops in the manner in which burial orders are issued that may need to be plugged; or could there be complicity between bereaved families and some unscrupulous officials in the RG’s Office?
In an interview, Registrar General, Mr Henry Machiri said they have since launched an investigation to establish the circumstances under which the burial orders were issued.
He said they ordinarily expect bereaved families to provide correct names of where they were going to bury their relatives.
“It is also a requirement that when a bereaved family is issued with a burial order, they should eventually return it to our office before a death certificate is issued. Besides the issue of a death certificate, one should return it after burial, to our office to say we have buried our relative as per information provided on the burial order, an in fact that is what is written overleaf of a burial order,” said Mr Machiri.
“We are obviously going to conduct investigations with regard to this issue to establish how the burial orders were issued. We want to establish how many were issued and was the interment done by the same undertaker or funeral parlour or they were different. If it was done by different undertakers, why is it that the burial order reflected burial place which they would not inter the deceased. It is important that we get to the bottom of the matter.”
Mr Machiri said there were some instances where undertakers accost bereaved families and offer them cheaper and alternative burial places.
“Without pre-empting our investigations, this can also be a possibility of what could have happened,” said Mr Machiri.
Airport Company of Zimbabwe spokesperson, Mr Tonderai Mangombe said while they were keen to have the matter resolved, it was the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works which was seized with its resolution.
“Our involvement in this matter is not recommended as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Local Government. As an airport operator, we are not responsible for addressing this issue,” he said.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works have since written a letter to the Zimbabwe Republic Police directing them to stop Rukodzi from burying people at the area.
“Could you please be advised that the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works did not allocate any land for cemetery purposes to Rukodzi Parish Pvt Ltd at the above properties. Be guided accordingly,” reads the letter dated February 7, 2023, from the ministry.
The police has since obliged by arresting Rukudzo who have since appeared in court.
A traditionalist, Mr Hazvirevi Makwiramiti said what Mr Rukudzo did was an abomination.
“People should uphold the long held principle of descend burial. What he was doing was an abomination as it defiled our country by upsetting the spirits of the departed by failing to provide decent burial. He should appear before a traditional leaders’ court to be handled differently with criminal courts where he should face a heavy fine,” he said.
Rukodzi has appeared before a Harare Magistrate recently and was released out of custody to October 12.
It has also turned out that Rukodzi has several pending cases of that nature.
Sources close to police investigations said Rukodzi once applied for land from Harare City Council near Zororo Cemetery, but then, without approval, moved into the nearby State land where he was doing his shady dealings.
He was also being investigated for other cases of fraud using the same method of operation.
The Herald has it on good authority that Rukodzi appeared before a Mbare Magistrate Court facing similar allegations since last year.
In one of the cases, in July this year, Rukodzi was arrested by police in Waterfalls for opening up a cemetery for the purposes of burial without the consent from the ministry.
By then, the complainant was Mr Richard Manyanga of Eyestone Farm in Waterfalls.
In his statement to the police, Mr Manyanga said on June 7, Rukodzi started operating a cemetery business in the area before he was approached by locals who ordered him to stop, but he did not.
A report was made to the police following verifications that were made and he was arrested. The matter was under investigation.
With investigation going on both by the police and the RG’s office one hopes a permanent solution will be found and justice will be served.
Online Reporter