Newly unveiled Mzuzu City community by-laws, especially those regulating people’s conduct during funerals, have drawn mixed reactions from civil society and the clergy who have questioned their practicality.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Mzuzu Civil Society Network chairperson Edward Kantuseya expressed concern about shutting down of businesses during funerals while some members of the clergy have complained that stopping eating at funerals is unfair.
Earlier this month, Mzuzu City Council and stakeholders launched 18 community by-laws, including funeral laws that mandate ward development committees and block leaders to regulate various issues within the city.
The new funeral regulations include shutting down business premises located close to funerals, restriction on alcohol consumption, noise pollution and eating at funerals as well as placing plates on roadsides to collect money meant for the funeral.
funeral ceremony. | Ai Generated Image
Placing plates on roadsides to collect money is considered stealing as well as drinking alcohol or causing noise attract K30 000 fine, among other fines.
On fines, Kantuseya said the penalties are too low.
“The fines provided in the by-laws are not stiff and do not reflect the present day reality. The fines needed to be as high as K200 000 to deter would-be offenders,” he said.
Kantuseya also said it is not fair in the modern era to force people to close their businesses because of a funeral in their vicinity.
On his part, CCAP Synod of Livingstonia general secretary the Reverend William Tembo said the clause to bar eating at funerals is against Christian values.
“The city council needs to reconsider this regulation because people come from far to attend funerals; hence, the need to eat,” he said.
The synod’s Church and Society Programme executive director Reverend Mcbowman Mulagha said they plan to engage the city council on the new by-laws, adding that they were not consulted.
But Inkosi ya Makhosi M’Mbelwa V said some funeral by-laws align with the Ngoni culture, which now prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages during funerals.
The city council’s spokesperson Mcdonald Gondwe said the by-laws aim to restore sanity in the city.
He said: “For instance, by eating during funerals, people were burdening the bereaved families to provide them food.
“Young people also take advantage of funerals to collect money from people on road sides for personal use.”
Zolozolo-West Ward councillor Hiwet Mkandawire said implementation of the regulations involves various stakeholders, including the clergy.
“Even religious leaders are part of sensitisation team on the new laws. People have started complying with other by-laws such as opening local breweries in the afternoon only,” he said.
In a separate interview, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri said he was not aware of the community by-laws.
“I am not aware of those by-laws so I cannot comprehensively comment on this issue,” he said.
Mzuzu City Council announced earlier that community by-laws were developed by local structures and not necessarily by the local government.
