In Morogoro’s Kola Municipal Cemetery in Tanzania over 250 graves have been vandalized, with thieves stealing metal crosses and other markers to sell for scrap. The thefts typically occur at night when there is no security, leaving families devastated by the desecration of sacred sites.
Pudensiana Chumbi, a regular visitor to the cemetery, has faced repeated thefts at the graves of her mother and daughter.
Thefts are driven by the rising demand for scrap metal, with criminals earning modest sums from the stolen materials. Authorities plan to improve cemetery security with fences and guards, while the government has pledged to regulate the scrap metal industry more strictly.
