Grave Dispute Prompts Exhumation Efforts in Bulawayo

A familial dispute in Bulawayo over Grave 19 in West Park Cemetery has led to intervention by the City Council. Both the Saunyama and Somkence families claim their relatives are buried in the same grave, prompting a request for an exhumation to resolve the matter. Council records confirm conflicting burial information, and an exhumation is planned to clarify the situation.

A peculiar family discrepancy has arisen in Bulawayo, prompting intervention from the City Council. The conflict is centered at West Park Cemetery’s Old Anglican Section, where two families assert that their deceased relatives have been buried in the same grave, leading to a request for local authority funding for an exhumation.

The dispute revolves around Grave 19 in the Old Anglican General Section, involving the families of Florence Saunyama, who died in 2003, and Caleb Somkence, who passed away in 2004. Tensions increased when the Somkence family erected a tombstone on the site, believing their relative was interred there. Contrarily, council records confirm that Florence Saunyama was buried at this grave, while Caleb’s grave number remains unrecorded.

An investigation by the Director of Health Services revealed inconsistencies in burial records, particularly the lack of an official grave number for Caleb Somkence. “According to our records, including the interment receipt… Florence Saunyama… was buried on September 24, 2003, in Grave 19,” the council minutes state. This ambiguity is further complicated by the presence of two unmarked graves adjacent to the disputed plot.

To facilitate resolution, a meeting took place on January 8, 2025, where family representatives recommended an exhumation to definitively identify the remains. The minutes indicate that “to ascertain whose remains are in Grave 19… exhumation will be necessary.” Following this, the Health Services Department obtained approval to fund the exhumation process, which is expected to begin soon as the families await answers and closure regarding their loved ones’ resting places.

This unique dispute over a grave in Bulawayo highlights the complexities surrounding burial records and the importance of accurate documentation. The City Council’s intervention seeks to address these familial tensions through an exhumation, which is poised to provide clarity for both families involved. As the situation unfolds, the hope remains that it will lead to closure for the grieving relatives.

Original Source: www.thezimbabwemail.com