Unscrupulous people in Luanshya District on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia are invading Milemu Cemetery to vandalise name tags made out metal sheets for the dead.
The development has since raised serious concerns from members of the community who have called on the local authority to tighten security at the cemetery.
“What is happening at our cemetery is un Zambian ,it is inhuman, people should respect graveyards,” Ackim Mumba a concerned Luanshya resident complained.
Mr Mumba said the unscrupulous people were vandalising tombstones and metal plates bearing names of the dead which they were later selling as scrap metal to illegal scrap metal dealers.
“Even if, the cost of living is high, people should not go to that extent of invading the dead,” Mr Mumba added.
He said the most unfortunate thing is that innocent youths are being used to carry out this devilish act.
He called on the Christian community in the district to join efforts and fight the vice.
Luanshya Municipal Council Public Relations Manager Gideon Thole confirmed the development in an interview.
Mr Thole described the situation as barbaric noting that one of the worst thing is that the dishonest people have even gone further to exhume the remains of the dead such as caskets.
He said suspected illegal scrap metal dealers are allegedly behind the vice.
” Yes I can confirm that,we have reports that some people are vandalising name tags for the dead at Milemu cemetery, this is very unfortunate as a Council we are working around the clock to ensure that we bring this to an end,” Mr Thole said.
All happening in our venerable Christian nation. Shameful.
BaLT That is not vandalising. They are stealing the metal plates to sell. Vandalism is destroying something for the sake of destroying it. The vandals get no gain
It’s not just Luanshya. It’s almost everywhere. We visited our late in law’s grave only to find the copper plate with the inscriptions has been removed leaving only the marble head stone.. That is how low we have sunk.
ITS COUNTRY WIDE
Empower the youths & citizens so that they can have work & businesses. Pipo are hungry & desperate while the same old story continues with politicians
Zambia is not a poor country. It’s a rich country occupied by poor people.
There are too many people without anything really tangible to do around the country. Even at Chingwele cemetery this has been going on for a very long time now and nobody is arresting these people. Do we really need 24hrs security at graveyards too just to protect the graves from being vandalised surely. Cabulanda saana!
I have always wondered how long before we got to this!
For many it is obvious that Zambia top criminal called James Mwamba is involved in this evil activities. This thief steals everything and sells these as metal scraps
What are the police waiting for?
I know this criminal called James Mwamba. He is a known armed Robber living at PHI.