A cemetery in Morogoro, eastern Tanzania, has been repeatedly vandalized, with thieves stealing metal crosses and other grave markers to sell as scrap. More than 250 graves in just one section of Kola Municipal Cemetery have been targeted, leaving families heartbroken.
Pudensiana Chumbi, who has been visiting the graves of her mother and daughter for decades, has faced this devastation firsthand. Her mother’s grave was looted first, and after replacing the cross, she later discovered her daughter’s grave had also been desecrated. Before she could repair it, the new cross on her mother’s grave was stolen again.
The rising demand for scrap metal has driven these crimes, with stolen materials fetching small amounts of money but enough for daily necessities. Some young men even charge families to guard graves overnight. While some scrap dealers refuse to buy stolen items, others turn a blind eye.
Authorities in Morogoro are considering security measures such as fences and guards, but these require time and funding. The government has also pledged to regulate the scrap metal trade, while religious leaders urge communities to take action against grave robbers.
Until stronger protections are in place, families like Ms. Chumbi’s will continue to face the painful reality of seeing their loved ones’ resting places disturbed.
