What was meant to be a moment of final rest turned into a painful and dramatic scene in Rumphi yesterday, as relatives of an elderly woman stopped her burial and carried away her coffin from her husband's home following a bitter disagreement over unpaid dowry.
The shocking incident happened at Mhuju Village under Traditional Authority Mwahenga, leaving mourners in tears and disbelief.
The deceased, popularly known as Gogo Nyahara, passed away on February 6, 2026. She had been married to the late Mr. Mazolo for more than 50 years and had raised a family that many in the area described as peaceful and united.
However, grief quickly turned into conflict when Nyahara's relatives revealed that part of her bride price had never been fully paid. According to the family, one cow -- agreed upon many decades ago -- was still outstanding.
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Relatives argued that under tradition, a woman whose dowry has not been fully settled cannot be buried in her husband's village.
"If the dowry is not finalised, Nyahara will be buried in Junju, Livingstonia, where she comes from," said one family member, fighting back tears.
As mourners gathered and preparations for burial were underway, both families attempted to resolve the matter through discussions. But talks collapsed, with no agreement reached.
The situation was made even more complicated by the fact that Nyahara's husband had also died, raising questions over who should now be responsible for paying the remaining dowry.
As hours passed and the body remained unburied, the local chief ordered that burial should proceed, saying it was getting late and the family needed to give the old woman a dignified send-off.
But this decision sparked outrage among Nyahara's relatives.
In a highly emotional confrontation, they challenged the chief, and in the chaos that followed, he was reportedly slapped.
Moments later, mourners watched in shock as Nyahara's relatives lifted the coffin onto their shoulders and walked away from the homestead.
Women wailed loudly. Some collapsed to the ground. Children cried as the funeral procession turned into a sorrowful journey back to Junju in Livingstonia.
For many, the scene was heartbreaking -- a woman who spent over half a century in marriage could not find peace in death because of an unresolved tradition.
What should have been a moment of unity became a painful reminder of how cultural disputes can tear families apart, even in their darkest hour of grief.
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