Harare Proposes Steep Hike in Cemetery and Burial Fees for 2026

Harare City Council has proposed sharp increases in cemetery and burial fees for 2026, prompting public concern over affordability and fairness amid rising living costs (image source)

HARARE — The City of Harare has proposed a significant increase in cemetery and burial fees that, if approved, will come into effect on January 1, 2026, tightening the cost of saying farewell to loved ones at a time of rising living expenses.

Under the draft tariff schedule now on public deposit, an adult burial at Warren Hills Cemetery would rise from US$275 to US$400. Non-resident and non-Zimbabwean rates face even steeper increases — non-resident adult burials would climb from US$300 to US$450, while burials for non-Zimbabweans would jump from US$395 to US$590. Exhumation charges are also set to surge, moving from US$350 to US$525.

Other municipal cemeteries will see similar uplifts. At Granville A Cemetery, an adult burial would increase from US$225 to US$330, and at Mabvuku Cemetery, the fee would move from US$150 to US$225. Memorial erection fees are proposed to rise across all city cemeteries from US$100 to US$150.

City officials say the tariff review is part of a broader exercise to align service charges with the true cost of operations, maintenance, and inflation. “These proposals seek to recover costs associated with grave preparation, cemetery upkeep, security and administrative services,” a council source said, adding that the city has struggled to meet maintenance needs amid constrained budgets.

The draft schedule is available for public inspection and objection until December 1, 2025, in line with Section 219 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15). Residents and stakeholders may lodge written objections with the City Clerk or attend scheduled public hearings to present views before the council finalises the tariffs.

Opposition groups, community leaders and residents said they will scrutinise the proposals and may challenge increases they view as punitive to low-income households. “Burial is a basic human need and communities already face steep costs for funerals. Any increase must be carefully considered with safeguards for the poorest families,” said a civic activist in Harare’s southern suburbs.

Funeral industry operators warned the rises could push more families toward informal burials or reduce spending on memorials and related services, shifting the economic burden to already strained households. Funeral directors urged the city to consider phased increases, waivers for indigent families, or a tiered pricing model that preserves basic services at minimal cost.

The council’s finance unit will review objections and prepare a report for the full council before a final vote on the tariffs. If approved, the increases will be implemented at the start of the new year and incorporated into the city’s 2026 budget framework.

Analysts note the debate pits fiscal sustainability against social protection: while municipal coffers need replenishing to maintain essential infrastructure, sudden hikes in end-of-life costs risk deepening hardship for vulnerable families in the capital. The outcome will test the council’s ability to balance revenue generation with equitable service delivery.