Zimbabwe: Police Crack Down On Coffin Processions in City Centres

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a 263Chat report from Harare, says the Zimbabwe Republic Police has cautioned the public against taking coffins and bodies of deceased relatives or friends through central business districts and other public spaces. The warning was issued after police observed what they described as an increasing practice of mourners staging funeral processions in busy urban areas to recognise the deceased’s links to vending, touting or the commuter omnibus sector.

According to the report, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said some mourners have been carrying coffins through crowded streets or placing them insecurely on top of vehicles during processions. Police said such conduct creates risks for mourners, motorists and pedestrians, especially in congested city centres where moving vehicles and large crowds can make the situation unsafe.

The ZRP also said mishandling or abusing human remains could lead to legal consequences. Nyathi warned that police would act against people found breaching the law, while urging families and mourners to conduct funerals in ways that protect public safety, comply with legal requirements and maintain respect for the deceased.

The report frames the warning as a response to unconventional funeral tributes that have emerged in some urban centres, where relatives and friends seek to celebrate a person’s livelihood or public identity before burial. More broadly, the issue highlights the tension between communal mourning practices and authorities’ responsibility to regulate public order and safety in crowded spaces.