Newly introduced community by-laws in Mzuzu are stirring heated debate across civil society, religious institutions and traditional leadership circles, with funeral-related regulations at the centre of controversy.
The Mzuzu City Council, working with local stakeholders, recently launched 18 community by-laws aimed at restoring order in urban neighbourhoods. However, it is the funeral regulations that have triggered the strongest backlash, with critics questioning their practicality, cultural sensitivity and enforcement logic.
Strict Funeral Rules Raise Eyebrows
Among the most debated provisions are rules mandating:
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Closure of business premises near funeral sites
Restrictions on alcohol consumption
Controls on noise pollution
Prohibition of eating at funerals
Regulation of roadside fundraising activities, including placing plates for donations
The council argues these measures are designed to reduce disorder, exploitation and disruption during mourning periods.
However, the same rules have sparked accusations of overreach.
Civil Society: "Fines Are Too Weak"
Mzuzu Civil Society Network chairperson Edward Kantuseya criticised both the substance of the rules and the penalties attached to them.
"The fines provided in the by-laws are not stiff enough and do not reflect present-day realities. They should have been as high as K200,000 to deter offenders," he said.
Kantuseya also questioned the requirement for businesses to shut down during funerals, calling it economically unfair in a struggling urban economy.
Church Leaders Push Back on Food Ban
Religious leaders have also joined the criticism, particularly over the prohibition of eating at funerals.
Reverend William Tembo of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia said the clause is inconsistent with Christian values and practical realities.
"People come from far to attend funerals. They need to eat," he said.
The Church and Society Programme under Reverend Mcbowman Mulagha further revealed plans to engage the council, saying the clergy were not adequately consulted before the by-laws were enacted.
Cultural Divide Emerges
Interestingly, traditional leadership has taken a more nuanced stance.
Inkosi ya Makhosi M'Mbelwa V noted that some aspects of the by-laws align with Ngoni cultural practices, particularly restrictions on alcohol consumption during funerals.
This has exposed a growing tension between modern urban governance frameworks and long-standing cultural practices.
Council Defends Regulations
Mzuzu City Council spokesperson McDonald Gondwe defended the measures, insisting they were necessary to restore dignity and order in urban funeral gatherings.
He said unchecked practices had turned funerals into sites of disorder and exploitation.
"For instance, eating at funerals was burdening bereaved families to provide food. Young people also take advantage of funerals to collect money from people along roadsides for personal use," he said.
Mixed Implementation Signals
Despite the controversy, local authorities insist implementation is already underway, with some compliance reported in related by-laws such as regulated operating hours for local breweries.
Zolozolo-West Ward councillor Hiwet Mkandawire said enforcement will involve multiple stakeholders, including religious leaders.
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"Even clergy are part of the sensitisation teams," he said.
Government Distances Itself
In a surprising twist, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri said he was not aware of the by-laws when asked for comment.
"I am not aware of those by-laws so I cannot comprehensively comment on this issue," he said.
Meanwhile, the council maintains that the by-laws were developed through local structures, not directly imposed by central government.
As debate intensifies, Mzuzu finds itself at the centre of a broader national conversation: how far should urban authorities go in regulating cultural and social practices in the name of order?
For now, the funeral by-laws remain in force--but so does the public resistance.
