expand its cemeteries, which are running out of space, and hopes to encourage cremation as a way of saving resources.
The idea of vertical burials has also been shot down amid reports the sprawling Mbudzi Cemetery will be full within the next four months.
But the widely held aversion to cremation remains. Many people believe that the burial ceremony is an important preparation for the body’s journey after death and that destroying the human remains could also destroy the spirit.
Official figures say that of the 3,000 people who died in the capital last month, fewer than 80 were cremated and the cemeteries are almost full.
The local authority has considered various options, such as expanding the cemeteries, but does not have the money. As part of its efforts to promote cremation, the city council points out that it’s both quicker and cheaper than burial.
But a spokesman for Zimbabwe’s traditional healers’ association has dismissed the idea as un-African. “The dead would simply not accept it,” he said. – Own correspondent
16.11.2006
0:00
Cremation the only option
HARARE - The authorities in Harare, have decided to embark on a publicity campaign to promote cremation rather than burial as an acceptable way of disposing of the dead in the face of the worsening Aids epidemic. But there is deep-rooted cultural opposition to the idea.
The city cannot afford to
The city cannot afford to