Family feud over memorial service, tombstone unveiling ceremony lands in court

A family dispute over the right to host a memorial and tombstone unveiling ceremony for the late Sinazeni Banda Makuya has escalated into a legal battle, with her brother suing the widower and a cousin-in-law in the Lusaka High Court.

Dumisani Banda, brother to the late Sinazeni, has taken legal action against Edwin Mwango Makuya—Sinazeni’s husband at the time of her death—and Kelvin Jinga Zunda, a distant cousin to Edwin, accusing them of excluding the deceased’s maiden family from the event.

According to court documents, the dispute arose after the in-laws planned a memorial and tombstone unveiling without informing or involving Sinazeni’s family, despite earlier joint agreements and contributions made toward her burial.

Sinazeni died on February 2, 2022, and was buried at Memorial Park in Lusaka.

While the burial was initially a collaborative effort between both families, Dumisani claims the in-laws later acted unilaterally, citing lobola payment as justification.

In February 2025, Banda said he was alerted by one of his sister’s friends about an invitation to the memorial and unveiling ceremony organised by Makuya.

The family objected, but the memorial proceeded without their involvement, although the tombstone was not erected due to their intervention.

The tombstone currently lies next to the grave, while Memorial Park management has refused to take instructions from Sinazeni’s family, citing Zunda as the legal grave owner based on a contract he signed during the burial arrangements.

Banda argued that Zunda was merely a proxy for payment and had no claim to the grave.

He further insisted that cultural norms demand consultation with the deceased’s family in all posthumous rituals.

He is seeking an injunction to stop any further ceremonies or tombstone placement without family consent, a declaration that the grave does not belong to Zunda, and damages for emotional distress and legal costs.

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