Chief bans beer at funerals

Chief Chamutsa of Buhera District has banned alcohol consumption during funerals in his jurisdiction, citing growing disorder and what he described as a loss of respect for the dead.

Chief Tinotenda Garepi Mavhurudza, who assumed the chieftainship on April 7, 2026, announced the new regulation through headmen and village heads.

The by-law, issued on August 6, will initially be enforced through a three-week warning and awareness period before penalties come into effect on August 27.

Under the new regulation, alcohol consumption at bereaved homesteads and gravesites is prohibited, while bringing, selling or distributing alcohol and other intoxicating substances at funerals is also banned.

Fighting, exchanging insults and disrupting prayers or eulogies are similarly prohibited.

The ban remains in force until the deceased has been buried.

Bereaved families have been tasked with ensuring that alcohol is not brought onto their premises, while headmen and village heads must monitor funerals and educate mourners about the new rules.

Anyone found in possession of alcohol at a funeral will face a US$30 fine or be required to surrender a goat.

Those found fighting or disrupting funeral proceedings will face a court fee and a US$50 fine.

In the by-law, the traditional court said the measures were intended to restore cultural values and preserve the dignity of the deceased.

"We, as Chief Chamutsa's court, are deeply concerned and disturbed by repeated acts of disrespect and disorder during funerals in our area," the traditional court said.

"We feel that people have lost respect for the dead, as dictated by our cultural norms. People are fighting at funerals and the bereaved are being abused."

The court said the regulation was intended to ensure that bereaved families could mourn peacefully while preventing conflicts and disturbances during burials.

"Alcohol will strictly not be allowed until the deceased has been buried," the by-law states.

The chief said the decision was prompted by increasingly disturbing incidents at funerals in the area.

"This is a serious matter that requires serious corrective decisions and action. We are witnessing abominable things at funerals," Chief Chamutsa said.

He cited a recent incident in which a family member allegedly went on a drinking binge and only returned when mourners were already burying the deceased.

According to the chief, the intoxicated person then demanded that the burial be stopped and the body exhumed so that it could be buried elsewhere.

"In their drunken stupor, they ordered those burying the deceased to exhume the body and dig a new grave simply because he did not want that particular burial place," he said.

Chief Chamutsa said the individual became violent, forcing mourners to dig another grave near the original one.

"Such conduct is unacceptable," he said.

The first three weeks following the announcement of the regulation will be used for education and warnings, with enforcement beginning on August 27.

"We wish to inform all that we are now in the era of this new by-law and we will not tolerate any acts of sabotage or disregard for it. Let us respect our departed relatives and friends as our cultural norms and values demand," the by-law states.

Acting Manicaland Provincial Director for Local Government Services and Administration John Misi said he could not comment because his office had not officially been informed about the development.

"It is difficult to comment since we are not officially privy to what is happening," Misi said.

Legal expert Passmore Nyakureba, a partner at Maunga Maanda and Associates, said traditional leaders could impose such restrictions where they are grounded in local cultural practices.

"Yes, he can do that. There may be different reasons for that. In some areas people do not consume alcohol during funerals, in others they do. So it all depends on the regulations in a given area. At the end of the day, it is a cultural issue," Nyakureba said.

The new regulation has since attracted widespread attention on social media, with the chief insisting that its primary objective is to restore dignity and order during funeral proceedings in the area.