MPs question Rusororo cemetery fees

The Parliamentary standing Committee of Social Affairs yesterday said the high burial costs at the newly opened cemetery at Rusororo were uncalled for and announced plans to launch an investigation into the matter. “Our observation is, the cost of burial at Rusororo is extremely high and this seems to be the same situation in all cemeteries across the country. This is why we are going to probe this situation and report back to the parliament,” said Committee Chairperson, Esperance Mwiza.The matter came up as State Minister for Local Government; Alvera Mukabaramba, appeared before the committee to react on several public petitions sent to parliament on the high burial cost at Rusororo Cemetery.According to Mwiza, parliament has received several complaints about the costs of burial at Rusororo but the complaints have also been lodged to Gasabo District as well.Unlike other cemeteries countrywide, tombs at Rusororo Cemetery are systematically arranged according to financial ability.Categories are divided into three; the high standing category (first class), the middle class and the lower categories. The cemetery lies on 12 hectares of land The medium standing costs Rwf450, 000, and this includes a constructed grave, tent, chairs, lowering device, while burial costs in the high standing category (first class) starts from Rwf750, 000.The lowest level is rated at Rwf15, 000.For special categories, the cost for the Islamic burial is Rwf50, 000 while for children is Rwf 550,000 in the high standing category.According to Ministry of Local Government Civil Engineer, William Ngabonziza,Rusororo cemetery has an average capacity of 30,000 graves spread on 12 hectares but plans are under way to increase the hectares to 50 which would automatically increase the number of graves to 125,000. Rusororo burial grounds is a district cemetery but managed but Gasabo Funeral Services, a private company.Gasabo vice Mayor in charge of social affairs, Marie Louise Uwimana, said complaints about the burial costs at Rusororo have also been lodged at her office.“When we started this new cemetery, we wanted to ensure that we eliminate all the previous mistakes at Remera cemetery, in this case we looked at setting standard prices and a single design,” Uwimana told MPs.MP Ignatienne Nyrarukundo sought a clear cost of the V.I.P section atRusororo since it had no standards.In his response, Ngabonziza said that no fixed price is set yet because sometimes it requires negotiations.Former State Minister, Late Christine Nyatanyi was the first person to be buried in the VIP section. The government is reported to have spent Rwf 2.9 million.According to Ngabonziza, the cemetery management had estimated around Rwf 4m but it was reduced.

National

MPs question Rusororo cemetery fees