HARARE – Mourners deserted a funeral in Hopley last week after failing to withstand a strong stench from the deceased’s body which lay for five days in the house.
Colleen Mungowa died last week Sunday after a long illness and up to Thursday his body was still in the house and never taken to a mortuary. It emerged that the family had hit hard times and was failing to secure a grave for him.
It also emerged that the deceased had no identification particulars which reportedly made it difficult to get a burial order. The father and brother were not present at the deceased’s cabin in Hopley Farm Zone 6 having gone to visit the police and the district administrator for assistance.
A close friend to the family, Fatima Mungoshi said she was looking after Mungowa’s son as he had conceded to failing to maintain him. “I have been looking after his son for the past four years after I found him as a destitute.
“I have been visiting my brother here and each time I came here I saw the boy begging for food and my brother told me that the father was failing to maintain him or send him to school.
“I talked to his father and he agreed that I take him to my home in Chivhu. Things were not looking good for him and he never visited his son in Chivhu or called to inquire about him during the four years.
“I asked him if I could send the boy to see him when he was ill but he said he will struggle to get food,” she said.
“I have brought his son to mourn him but things are not looking good and we desperately need help so that he will be buried. He died on Sunday and we were here Tuesday but up to now he is in the house and people can’t stand it.
“The smell, the food, there is nothing and the residents did not contribute anything,” she added.
The child reportedly has no birth certificate which Mungowa said will become a problem to acquire as the father is late and has no identity particulars.
Residents described the funeral as pathetic. “Iyi ndiyo inonzi “nhamo”, not a funeral,” said one of the residents. H Metro
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