The Zambia Land Alliance is concerned with reports that Grandview Academy wants the residents of Chitalo and Shangoma villages of the Shimabala area, Kafue district to exhume and relocate the remains of their relatives that were buried near the school.
Research by the Alliance has revealed that Grandview Academy has been constructed on a portion of land adjacent to an old burial site which was used by the people of the two named villages up to 2009.
Patrick Musole, the Alliance Executive Director said this burial site is now closed but the school has since directed the community members in the two villages of Chitalo and Shangoma to exhume the remains of their relatives and relocate them so that the school can construct teachers’ houses on the gravesite.
Mr Musole said the Alliance has been informed that the school is willing to provide coffins and labour to exhume the remains, but have not provided alternative land to rebury the remains.
“One family is claiming to have six family members buried on the same site. Zambia Land Alliance is of the view that this is not only unprecedented but unZambian and is at odds with our cultural norms and values that respect the dead”, he said.
Mr. Musole said the Alliance has seen graveyards that sit on land that has been acquired by investors, including foreign investors.
“Out of respect for our cultural values and norms, they have only fenced off the gravesites without tempering with them, while allowing relatives access to the gravesites. We have seen that in Kalumbila, Mpongwe, and even within Lusaka, behind Manda Hill Shopping Mall”, he added.
Mr. Musole said the Alliance, therefore, finds this excessive appetite for land by the Management of Grandview Academy to the point of not minding displacing the dead, unacceptable.
He has called on the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs to intervene and protect that gravesite.
Mr. Musole has also advised members of the public, institutions and all stakeholders that as the Alliance welcomes development in this country, it is the duty of every Zambian to protect cultural heritage, values, and norms that define Zambia as a people.
These PF… from Mukula, Black Letchwes to now to grab cemeteries
There have kicked away the same ladder they used to get to the top, it will be interesting to watch them on their way down. When you get to the top never kick away the ladder you used to climb up, you need that same ladder on your way back to the group.
Pang’ana pang’ana 2021 is approaching.
*ground
Tribal bloggers have improved now, a school is now PF? Tribalists really want power!! They are now using the same tactics PF used to RB where everyday they make allegations. No need to prove anything. Just confusion. Now they should be careful not to confuse the already confused Tongas. 2021 is really heating up, but the confused Tongas will for the first time ever go & vote for the ganja party
Tribal bloggers have improved now, a school is now PF? Tribalists really want power!! They are now using the same tactics PF used to RB where everyday they make allegations. No need to prove anything. Just confusion. Now they should be careful not to confuse the already confused Tongas. 2021 is really heating up, but the confused Tongas will for the first time ever go & vote for the ganja party
This is an African, they will provide the coffins bt whr are they going to bury them. They keep the remains of the beloved ones home? And whr is this govt we hv, do we really hv a govt sure? I don’t see any in existence. Zambians lets be serious with such matter, we’re playing games.
Let gold be discovered there; see whether you won’t be the first to defend the transfer of graves! Now since it’s a school and we don’t care much about education it has become a huge problem and unzambian.
teachers in those houses will be having slepless nights
this id!ot is the one who was given the fire tender deal. It’s PF at work. Come 2021 these imbeciles should pack and go to mukobeko prison.
ladies and gentlemen, lets know when to politic and when to get serious to business. this issue of the school wanting to have grave/remains relocated has nothing to do with PF or any other political organisations. its not the first time nor will it be the last time that remains are relocated. we must admit that there is a population boom in this country and the world as a whole and our poorly planned settlements will have to surfer the consequences. we should be talking about the school providing alternative grave sites and sponsoring the whole relocation exercise. we have respect for the past but the future is more important than the past.
correction: *suffer the consequences