Haki na majukumu kwa marehemu: Nani mwenye jukumu la kuzika maiti, yupi asiye nalo na kwa nini?

[Mama Amon]

Baba, Mama, na watoto wao wawili mapacha walioteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro.

Hivi, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda, utaratibu gani wa kisheria unapaswa kutumika katika kuendesha mazishi ya mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu?

Nauliza swali hili kutokana na tukio la tarehe 26 Desemba 2020. Siku hiyo walifariki watu wanne wa familia moja, akiwemo baba, mama na watoto wao wawili, kutokana na ajali ya moto iliyotokea katika Mtaa wa Sahare Majengo Mapya, Kata ya Mzingani jijini Tanga.

Waliofariki ni baba wa familia, Sigfrid Kimbi (44), mkewe Aurelia Shayo na watoto wao, Samweli Kimbi (9) na Ezra Kimbi (7). Miili yao ilisafirishwa hadi Moshi, nyumbani kwa Kimbi kwa ajili ya mazishi. Walizikwa tarehe 29 Desemba 2020 kwenye Kitongoji cha Kisomboko, Uru Mawella, Moshi Vijijini, Mkoani Kilimanjaro.

Tukio hilo limeleta majonzi kwa wengi kwa sababu mbili. Kwanza, siku zote kifo kinahuzunisha watu wengi.

Na pili, siku zote kifo huzalisha majukumu kwa watu waliobaki hai kuhusiana na kazi ya kuhifadhi mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu. Kuna wafiwa, maafisa wa ustawi wa jamii, na viongozi wa dini, japo kila kundi linabeba majuku kwa sababu tofauti na malengo tofauti.

Safari hii, utekelezaji wa majukumua haya uliambatana na utata baada ya watoto wawili kuzikwa kwa heshima zote za Kikristo wakati wazazi wao wakinyimwa heshima hiyo.

Jambo hili lilimfanya Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro, Anna Mghwira, kutoa kauli ambayo ilionyesha kuwa pale viongozi wa dini wanapojitoa kwenye jukumu la kuendesha ibada ya mazishi, basi, Taifa halina utaratibu mbadala kisheria kuhusiana na suala zima la mazishi ya raia.

Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya ndoa ya mwaka 1971, inafahamika kuwa kuna ndoa za aina tatu hapa nchini Tanzania:

1. Ndoa zinazofungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Ubuda na Uhindu;
2. Ndoa zinazofungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa dini za kimila (ATR); na
3. Ndoa zinazofungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa kiserikali bomani.

Zote ni ndoa halali na zenye hadhi sawa kisheria. Na kimantiki, ni kwamba, kama ambavyo sheria ya ndoa inatofautisha ndoa hizi ili kutoa uhuru wa kuchagua kwa raia, vivyo hivyo, kunapaswa kuwepo sheria ya mazishi inayoweka utaratibu wa mazishi kwa kundi kundi la wanandoa pale wanapokufa. Yaani, kunapaswa kuwepo:

1. Utaratibu wa mazishi ya wana ndoa ambao ndoa zao zilizofungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Ubuda na Uhindu;
2. Utaratibu wa mazishi ya wana ndoa ambao ndoa zao zilifungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa dini za kimila (ATR); na
3. Utaratibu wa mazishi ya wana ndoa ambao ndoa zao zilifungwa kwa kufuata utaratibu wa kiserikali bomani.

Utaratibu huu ni muhimu na lazima kwa kuwa, kila kundi la wanandoa linastahili kupata ibada ya mazishi ya kipekee.

Kwa mfano, katika macho ya Kanisa Katoliki, ndoa ambazo hazijafungwa Kikristo zinakuwa hazijakidhi viwango fulani, na hivyo wahusika hawana haki ya kupata huduma ya ibada ya mazishi yanayolingana na heshima ya Kikristo.

Padre wa parokia walikokuwa wanasali baba, mama na watoto alithibitisha ukweli huu aliposema kwamba, kwa mujibu wa taratibu za Kanisa Katoliki, hakuwa na jukumu la kuwazika baba na mama kwa vile walikuwa wanaishi kama mke na mume bila kufunga ndoa kulingana na taratibu za ndoa ya kikristo.

Mwongozo Baraza la Maaskofu Tanzania (TEC) kuhusu mazishi uliomo katika Kitabu Kilichaandikwa na Marehemu Askofu wa Moshi Amedeus Msarikie, unasema yafuatayo:

Kwamba, Sheria ya Kanisa Katoliki namba 1177 hadi 1185 inasema kuwa ni haki ya kila muumini mkatoliki kufanyiwa Ibada ya mazishi ya Kikristo isipokuwa kama amepoteza haki hiyo kutokana na ukaidi wake mwenyewe.

Kwamba, haki hiyo inatokana na jinsi marehemu wakati wa uhai wake alivyotimiza wajibu wa Kikristo kwa mamlaka ya Kanisa na jumuiya nzima ya Kikristo.

Kwamba, kwa kuwa ibada ya mazishi ya Kikatoliki kama tendo lolote la Kiliturujia ni alama na ishara wazi ya mshikamano wa kikristo, basi, inamaanisha kwamba, ibada hiyo inapotolewa lazima umoja wa Kanisa uonekane wazi, na kwamba, wanaopokea mazishi hayo ni lazima wawe wameonyesha umoja wa Kanisa kwa maisha yao.

Kwamba, kwa wakristo waliojitahidi kuishi vizuri maisha yao ya Kikristo wanapaswa kupatiwa huduma ya mazishi ya Kikristo katika parokia yake na mazishi hayo yanapaswa kuongozwa na Paroko au Paroko msaidizi au Katekista au muumini mwingine aliyeidhinishwa na paroko kutekeleza wajibu huo.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na mshikamano wa Kikristo wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale walioasi kanisa kwa kufuata mafundisho ya dini nyingine; Wale waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kutosali kinyume cha amri ya tatu ya Mungu na Amri ya kwanza ya Kanisa; Wazushi katika mafundisho ya imani, kwa maana ya watu wanaojiita wakristo wakatoliki lakini wanafundisha kinyume na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki wanavyofundisha; na watu wanaokataa utaratibu sahihi ulioanzishwa na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki, kwa mfano utaratibu wa kusali katika Jumuiya ndogo ndogo ulioanzishwa na kanisa.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kuukataa ukweli unaofunuliwa na Mungu au ukweli uliotangazwa na viongozi wa kanisa, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Waliobatizwa lakini baadaye wakatenda dhambi ya heresia (heresy) kwa kukaidi ukweli ambao ni lazima kuusadiki kwa mujibu wa imani ya kanisa katoliki; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya apostasia (apostasy) kwa kukana dini Katoliki mbele za watu; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya skisma (schism) kwa kukataa mamlaka ya Kanisa, yaani kukataa kukiri mamlaka halali ya Baba Mtakatifu, Maaskofu, Mapadre na Mashemasi;

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaohusishwa na dhambi za waziwazi na zenye kuwakwaza wakristo wengine (public scandal), wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wakristo wenye ndoa za mitara; Majambazi wanaotishia maisha ya watu kwa kutumia silaha; Wale wanaofuata mila zenye upotofu mkubwa unapingana na kanisa kwa mfano kurithi wajane, kukubali kurithiwa kama mjane, kutambikia mizimu, na kufanya kufunga ndoa ya jinsia moja; Wale wenye imani za ushirikina, mfano mganga wa kienyeji, mchawi anayefahamika, kupiga ramri, na kumkaribisha mganga wa kienyeji nyumbani.

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaopotosha mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa kwa makusudi, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale wanaokufuru Ekaristi takatifu, mfano kuiba Ekaristi Takatifu, kuitupa, kuichezea; Wale wanaotupilia mbali wajibu wa kutunza familia; Wale wanaowatesa wanafamilia wenzao kwa ukatili mkubwa; Wale wanaodharau desturi takatifu za kanisa Katoliki mfano kuiba vitu vya kanisa, kuchoma au kuharibu vitu vitakafu kwa makusudi kama vile rozari na visakramenti vingine; Wale wanaochochea kuzuka kwa madhehebu potofu miongoni mwa wakatoliki; Wale wanaojihusisha na vitendo vya kuua watu, mfano kwa kuwadhania kuwa ni wachawi, kuwaua walemavu wa ngozi.

Na kwamba, Jumuiya ndogo ndogo zinayo “mamlaka ya kushauri” (consultative power) kwa vyombo vya Kanisa vyenye mamlaka ya “kutoa uamuzi” (deliberative power) juu ya nani apewe ibada ya mazishi na yupi asipewe, kwa kuwa, ni wana jumuiya ndogo ndogo wanaoweza kuonyesha kuwa huyu mtu aliishi imani yake vizuri au alikuwa na vizuizi vilivyotajwa hapo juu au hapana.

Kimsingi, hizi ni taratibu za kidini kwa ajili ya kujiimarisha kitaasisi kwa kuchora mstari unaoweza kutenganisha watu wote waliobatizwa na kupata kibali cha kuitwa wkristo katika kundi la "sisi wakristo bora" dhidi ya kundi la "wao wakristo duni."

Hata hivyo, naona kuwa, Sheria ya Kanisa Katoliki namba 1177 hadi 1185 ni batili kwa kiwango kile ambacho zinapingana na Katiba ya Kanisa Katoliki iitwayo Mwanga wa Mataifa (Lumen Gentium). Kwa mujibu wa ibara ya saba ya Katiba hii, tunaambiwa:

"Maana kwa ubatizo tumefananishwa na Kristo: “Kwa maana katika Roho mmoja sisi sote tulibatizwa kuwa mwili mmoja” (1Kor 12:13). Katika ibada hii takatifu ushirikiano wetu na kifo cha Kristo na ufufuko wake huonyeshwa kwa ishara na kutekelezwa: “Basi tulizikwa pamoja naye kwa njia ya ubatizo katika mauti yake”; na “kama tulivyounganika naye katika mfano wa mauti yake, kadhalika tutaunganika kwa mfano wa kufufuka kwake” (Rum 6:4-5)." (Lumen Gentium 1968, ib.7)

Ni kwa sababu hii, wakati wa mazishi ya Kikatoliki, kuna sala muhimu inayosema kuwa, kama ambavyo marehemu alivyoshiriki ubatizo wa Kristo, vivyo hivyo, anaombewa ili upate fursa ya kushiriki ufufuko wake siku ya mwisho.

Kwa hiyo, kwa mujibu wa Katiba ya Kanisa tajwa, kigezo kilicho cha lazima na chenye kutosheleza mahitaji ya kutofautisha kati ya Mkristo na mtu asiye Mkristo ni sakramenti ya ubatizo, isipokuwa kama muumini amewahi kukana imani yake baada ya kupokea ubatizo huo.

Yaani, "unless recanted after its administration, baptismal sacrament is a the only indelible, necessary and sufficient criterion of Christian membership and the pertinent rights and obligations."

Hayo masharti mengine yote ni nyongeza inayoweza kuhojiwa na mtu yeyote makini, kwa sababu kadhaa, moja ikiwa kwamba, masharti haya yanaweza kuchochea uvunjifu wa amani katika jamii.

Lakini hii sio hoja yangu kuu kwa sasa. Hoja yangu kuu hapa ni kwamba, katika Taifa ambalo linaongozwa na serikali isiyofungamana na dini yoyote, kanuni hizi haziwezi kuwa kanuni za jumla kwa kuwa, katika Taifa la aina hii, kuna watu wasiofuata dini yoyote na wanaopaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa; kuna watu wa dini moja lakini walio katika madhehebu tofauti wanaozikwa kwa kufuata desturi tofauti; na kuna watu wanaopinga kwa hoja halali baadhi ya mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa, na hasa yale yasiyokubalika kisayansi na kimantiki, na wanapaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa.

Kwa hiyo sasa, swali pana linalozuka hapa ni kwamba, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda utaratibu gani wa kisheria unapaswa kutumika katika kuendesha mazishi ya mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu?

Kama utaratibu huu ungekuwa bayana, RC Mghwira asingejikuta anakwaruzana na paroko wa Kanisa Katoliki.

Nimeangalia sheria ya kusajili Vizazi na Vifo (birth and death registration act) pamoja na sheria ya kutunza Afya ya Umma (public health act) lakini sikuona mwongozo mzuri juu ya jambo hili.

Ni kama vile siku zote Taifa limekasimu madaraka ya kuzika mabaki ya raia wake kwa taasisi za kidini bila kuona hatari iliyoko mbeleni, na hasa pale, sheria za kidini zinapozalisha ubaguzi holela unaoweza kuwa chimbuko la "public nuisance" inayoongelewa kwenye sheria ya utunzaji wa afya ya jamii.

Hivyo naomba kuwauliza enyi learned fellows: Ni sheria gani zinapaswa kutumika kuratibu haki na majukumu yanayohusiana na mazishi ya marehemu ("burial rights and duties") hapa Tanzania?

Nyumba iliyoteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro juzi na kuua watu wanne

 

[safuher]

View attachment 1671758​

Baba, Mama, na watoto wao wawili mapacha walioteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro.

Hivi, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda, ama kwa sababu sio muumini wa dini yoyote kati ya hizo au kwa vile ni muumini aliyekosana na viongozi wa dini alikokuwa anaabudu, utaratibu gani wa kisheria unapaswa kutumika katika kuendesha mazishi ya mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu?

Nauliza swali hili kutokana na tukio la tarehe 26 Desemba 2020. Siku hiyo walifariki watu wanne wa familia moja, akiwemo baba, mama na watoto wao wawili, kutokana na ajali ya moto iliyotokea katika Mtaa wa Sahare Majengo Mapya, Kata ya Mzingani jijini Tanga.

Waliofariki ni baba wa familia, Sigfrid Kimbi (44), mkewe Aurelia Shayo na watoto wao, Samweli Kimbi (9) na Ezra Kimbi (7). Miili yao ilisafirishwa hadi Moshi, nyumbani kwa Kimbi kwa ajili ya mazishi. Walizikwa tarehe 29 Desemba 2020 kwenye Kitongoji cha Kisomboko, Uru Mawella, Moshi Vijijini, Mkoani Kilimanjaro.

Tukio hilo limeleta majonzi kwa wengi kwa sababu mbili. Kwanza, siku zote kifo kinahuzunisha watu wengi.

Na pili, siku zote kifo huzalisha majukumu kwa watu waliobaki hai kuhusiana na kazi ya kuhifadhi mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu. Kuna wafiwa, maafisa wa ustawi wa jamii, na viongozi wa dini, japo kila kundi linabeba majuku kwa sababu tofauti na malengo tofauti.

Safari hii, utekelezaji wa majukumua haya uliambatana na utata baada ya watoto wawili kuzikwa kwa heshima zote za Kikristo wakati wazazi wao wakinyimwa heshima hiyo.

Ilibidi Mkuu wa Mkoa kuingilia kati katika namna ambayo ilionyesha kuwa kuna ombwe la mgawanyo wa kimajukumu ya kisheria kuhusisna na suala zima la mazishi ya raia.

Paroko wa parokia walikokuwa wanasali baba, mama na watoto alisema hakuwa na jukumu la kuwazika baba na mama kwa vile walikuwa wanaishi kama mke na mume bila kufunga ndoa ya kikristo.

Kama mume angekufa na mke akabaki basi mke angesimamia masishi ya mume. Na kama mke angekufa mume angesimamia masishi ya mke.

Lakini, kwa vile baba na mama wote walikufa, na hawakuwa na ndugu wa karibu, utata ulizuka juu ya nani mwenye jukumu la kuwazika, hasa baada ya paroko kujitenga kulingana na sheria za Kanisa lake Katoliki.

Mwongozo Baraza la Maaskofu Tanzania (TEC) kuhusu mazishi uliomo katika Kitabu Kilichaandikwa na Marehemu Askofu wa Moshi Amedeus Msarikie, unasema yafuatayo:

Kwamba, Sheria ya Kanisa Katoliki namba 1177 hadi 1185 inasema kuwa ni haki ya kila muumini mkatoliki kufanyiwa Ibada ya mazishi ya Kikristo isipokuwa kama amepoteza haki hiyo kutokana na ukaidi wake mwenyewe.

Kwamba, haki hiyo inatokana na jinsi marehemu wakati wa uhai wake alivyotimiza wajibu wa Kikristo kwa mamlaka ya Kanisa na jumuiya nzima ya Kikristo.

Kwamba, kwa kuwa ibada ya mazishi ya Kikatoliki kama tendo lolote la Kiliturujia ni alama na ishara wazi ya mshikamano wa kikristo, basi, inamaanisha kwamba, ibada hiyo inapotolewa lazima umoja wa Kanisa uonekane wazi, na kwamba, wanaopokea mazishi hayo ni lazima wawe wameonyesha umoja wa Kanisa kwa maisha yao.

Kwamba, kwa wakristo waliojitahidi kuishi vizuri maisha yao ya Kikristo wanapaswa kupatiwa huduma ya mazishi ya Kikristo katika parokia yake na mazishi hayo yanapaswa kuongozwa na Paroko au Paroko msaidizi au Katekista au muumini mwingine aliyeidhinishwa na paroko kutekeleza wajibu huo.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na mshikamano wa Kikristo wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale walioasi kanisa kwa kufuata mafundisho ya dini nyingine; Wale waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kutosali kinyume cha amri ya tatu ya Mungu na Amri ya kwanza ya Kanisa; Wazushi katika mafundisho ya imani, kwa maana ya watu wanaojiita wakristo wakatoliki lakini wanafundisha kinyume na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki wanavyofundisha; na watu wanaokataa utaratibu sahihi ulioanzishwa na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki, kwa mfano utaratibu wa kusali katika Jumuiya ndogo ndogo ulioanzishwa na kanisa.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kuukataa ukweli unaofunuliwa na Mungu au ukweli uliotangazwa na viongozi wa kanisa, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Waliobatizwa lakini baadaye wakatenda dhambi ya heresia (heresy) kwa kukaidi ukweli ambao ni lazima kuusadiki kwa mujibu wa imani ya kanisa katoliki; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya apostasia (apostasy) kwa kukana dini Katoliki mbele za watu; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya skisma (schism) kwa kukataa mamlaka ya Kanisa, yaani kukataa kukiri mamlaka halali ya Baba Mtakatifu, Maaskofu, Mapadre na Mashemasi;

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaohusishwa na dhambi za waziwazi na zenye kuwakwaza wakristo wengine (public scandal), wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wakristo wenye ndoa za mitara; Majambazi wanaotishia maisha ya watu kwa kutumia silaha; Wale wanaofuata mila zenye upotofu mkubwa unapingana na kanisa kwa mfano kurithi wajane, kukubali kurithiwa kama mjane, kutambikia mizimu, na kufanya kufunga ndoa ya jinsia moja; Wale wenye imani za ushirikina, mfano mganga wa kienyeji, mchawi anayefahamika, kupiga ramri, na kumkaribisha mganga wa kienyeji nyumbani.

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaopotosha mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa kwa makusudi, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale wanaokufuru Ekaristi takatifu, mfano kuiba Ekaristi Takatifu, kuitupa, kuichezea; Wale wanaotupilia mbali wajibu wa kutunza familia; Wale wanaowatesa wanafamilia wenzao kwa ukatili mkubwa; Wale wanaodharau desturi takatifu za kanisa Katoliki mfano kuiba vitu vya kanisa, kuchoma au kuharibu vitu vitakafu kwa makusudi kama vile rozari na visakramenti vingine; Wale wanaochochea kuzuka kwa madhehebu potofu miongoni mwa wakatoliki; Wale wanaojihusisha na vitendo vya kuua watu, mfano kwa kuwadhania kuwa ni wachawi, kuwaua walemavu wa ngozi.

Na kwamba, Jumuiya ndogondogo zinayo “mamlaka ya kushauri” (consultative power) kwa vyombo vya Kanisa vyenye mamlaka ya “kutoa uamuzi” (deliberative power) juu ya nani apewe ibada ya mazishi na yupi asipewe, kwa kuwa, ni wakristo wanaoweza kuonyesha kuwa huyu mtu aliiishi imani yake vizuri au alikuwa na vizuizi vilivyotajwa hapo juu au hapana.

Hivyo, ni wazi kwamba, hizi ni taratibu za Kidini kwa ajili ya kujiimarisha kitaasisi kwa kuchora mstari unaoweza kutenganisha watu kati ya "sisi" dhidi ya "wao," huu ukiwa ni mkakati wa kujiongezea waumini. Kila dini yenye hulka ya kujitanua, hasa Ukristo na Uislamu, inazo kanuni za aina hii.

Hata hivyo kanuni hizi haziwezi kukubalika kwa serikali isiyofungamana na dini yoyote kwa kuwa, kuna watu wasiofuata dini yoyote na wanaopaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa, na watu wanaopinga kwa hoja mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa, na hasa yale yasiyokubalika kisayansi na kimantiki, wanapaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa.

Kwa hiyo sasa, swali pana linalozuka hapa ni kwamba, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda, utaratibu gani rasmi wa mazishi unapaswa kutumika?

Kama utaratibu huu ungekuwa bayana, RC Mghwira asingejikuta anakwaruzana na paroko wa Kanisa Katoliki.

Nimeangalia sheria ya kusajili Vizazi na Vifo (birth and death registration act) pamoja na sheria ya kutunza Afya ya Umma (public health act) lakini sikuona mwongozo mzuri juu ya jambo hili.

Ni kama vile siku zote Taifa limekasimu madaraka ya kuzika mabaki ya raia wake kwa taasisi za kidini bila kuona hatari iliyoko mbeleni, na hasa pale, sheria za kidini zinapoweza kugeuka chimbuko la "public nuisance" inayoongelewa kwenye sheria ya utunzaji wa afya ya jamii.

Hivyo naomba kuwauliza enyi learned fellows: Ni sheria gani zinapaswa kutumika kuratibu haki na majukumu yanayohusiana na mazishi ya marehemu ("burial rights and duties") hapa Tanzania?

View attachment 1671759
Nyumba iliyoteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro juzi na kuua watu wanne

Najibu kichwa cha habari.


Wenye jukumu la kuzika maiti ni wale wenye jukumu la kukurithi.

Mtoto wako,wazazi wako na ndugu wengine wa karibu.

 

[Bunyoro KItara]

View attachment 1671758​

Baba, Mama, na watoto wao wawili mapacha walioteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro.

Hivi, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda, ama kwa sababu sio muumini wa dini yoyote kati ya hizo au kwa vile ni muumini aliyekosana na viongozi wa dini alikokuwa anaabudu, utaratibu gani wa kisheria unapaswa kutumika katika kuendesha mazishi ya mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu?

Nauliza swali hili kutokana na tukio la tarehe 26 Desemba 2020. Siku hiyo walifariki watu wanne wa familia moja, akiwemo baba, mama na watoto wao wawili, kutokana na ajali ya moto iliyotokea katika Mtaa wa Sahare Majengo Mapya, Kata ya Mzingani jijini Tanga.

Waliofariki ni baba wa familia, Sigfrid Kimbi (44), mkewe Aurelia Shayo na watoto wao, Samweli Kimbi (9) na Ezra Kimbi (7). Miili yao ilisafirishwa hadi Moshi, nyumbani kwa Kimbi kwa ajili ya mazishi. Walizikwa tarehe 29 Desemba 2020 kwenye Kitongoji cha Kisomboko, Uru Mawella, Moshi Vijijini, Mkoani Kilimanjaro.

Tukio hilo limeleta majonzi kwa wengi kwa sababu mbili. Kwanza, siku zote kifo kinahuzunisha watu wengi.

Na pili, siku zote kifo huzalisha majukumu kwa watu waliobaki hai kuhusiana na kazi ya kuhifadhi mabaki ya mwili wa marehemu. Kuna wafiwa, maafisa wa ustawi wa jamii, na viongozi wa dini, japo kila kundi linabeba majuku kwa sababu tofauti na malengo tofauti.

Safari hii, utekelezaji wa majukumua haya uliambatana na utata baada ya watoto wawili kuzikwa kwa heshima zote za Kikristo wakati wazazi wao wakinyimwa heshima hiyo.

Ilibidi Mkuu wa Mkoa kuingilia kati katika namna ambayo ilionyesha kuwa kuna ombwe la mgawanyo wa kimajukumu ya kisheria kuhusisna na suala zima la mazishi ya raia.

Paroko wa parokia walikokuwa wanasali baba, mama na watoto alisema hakuwa na jukumu la kuwazika baba na mama kwa vile walikuwa wanaishi kama mke na mume bila kufunga ndoa ya kikristo.

Kama mume angekufa na mke akabaki basi mke angesimamia masishi ya mume. Na kama mke angekufa mume angesimamia masishi ya mke.

Lakini, kwa vile baba na mama wote walikufa, na hawakuwa na ndugu wa karibu, utata ulizuka juu ya nani mwenye jukumu la kuwazika, hasa baada ya paroko kujitenga kulingana na sheria za Kanisa lake Katoliki.

Mwongozo Baraza la Maaskofu Tanzania (TEC) kuhusu mazishi uliomo katika Kitabu Kilichaandikwa na Marehemu Askofu wa Moshi Amedeus Msarikie, unasema yafuatayo:

Kwamba, Sheria ya Kanisa Katoliki namba 1177 hadi 1185 inasema kuwa ni haki ya kila muumini mkatoliki kufanyiwa Ibada ya mazishi ya Kikristo isipokuwa kama amepoteza haki hiyo kutokana na ukaidi wake mwenyewe.

Kwamba, haki hiyo inatokana na jinsi marehemu wakati wa uhai wake alivyotimiza wajibu wa Kikristo kwa mamlaka ya Kanisa na jumuiya nzima ya Kikristo.

Kwamba, kwa kuwa ibada ya mazishi ya Kikatoliki kama tendo lolote la Kiliturujia ni alama na ishara wazi ya mshikamano wa kikristo, basi, inamaanisha kwamba, ibada hiyo inapotolewa lazima umoja wa Kanisa uonekane wazi, na kwamba, wanaopokea mazishi hayo ni lazima wawe wameonyesha umoja wa Kanisa kwa maisha yao.

Kwamba, kwa wakristo waliojitahidi kuishi vizuri maisha yao ya Kikristo wanapaswa kupatiwa huduma ya mazishi ya Kikristo katika parokia yake na mazishi hayo yanapaswa kuongozwa na Paroko au Paroko msaidizi au Katekista au muumini mwingine aliyeidhinishwa na paroko kutekeleza wajibu huo.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na mshikamano wa Kikristo wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale walioasi kanisa kwa kufuata mafundisho ya dini nyingine; Wale waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kutosali kinyume cha amri ya tatu ya Mungu na Amri ya kwanza ya Kanisa; Wazushi katika mafundisho ya imani, kwa maana ya watu wanaojiita wakristo wakatoliki lakini wanafundisha kinyume na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki wanavyofundisha; na watu wanaokataa utaratibu sahihi ulioanzishwa na viongozi wa kanisa katoliki, kwa mfano utaratibu wa kusali katika Jumuiya ndogo ndogo ulioanzishwa na kanisa.

Kwamba, Wakristo waliojitenga na kanisa kwa kuukataa ukweli unaofunuliwa na Mungu au ukweli uliotangazwa na viongozi wa kanisa, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Waliobatizwa lakini baadaye wakatenda dhambi ya heresia (heresy) kwa kukaidi ukweli ambao ni lazima kuusadiki kwa mujibu wa imani ya kanisa katoliki; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya apostasia (apostasy) kwa kukana dini Katoliki mbele za watu; Wale wanaotenda dhambi ya skisma (schism) kwa kukataa mamlaka ya Kanisa, yaani kukataa kukiri mamlaka halali ya Baba Mtakatifu, Maaskofu, Mapadre na Mashemasi;

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaohusishwa na dhambi za waziwazi na zenye kuwakwaza wakristo wengine (public scandal), wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wakristo wenye ndoa za mitara; Majambazi wanaotishia maisha ya watu kwa kutumia silaha; Wale wanaofuata mila zenye upotofu mkubwa unapingana na kanisa kwa mfano kurithi wajane, kukubali kurithiwa kama mjane, kutambikia mizimu, na kufanya kufunga ndoa ya jinsia moja; Wale wenye imani za ushirikina, mfano mganga wa kienyeji, mchawi anayefahamika, kupiga ramri, na kumkaribisha mganga wa kienyeji nyumbani.

Kwamba, Wakristo wanaopotosha mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa kwa makusudi, wanapoteza haki zao katika kanisa ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kupata mazishi ya Kikristo, ambapo wafuatao wanahusika: Wale wanaokufuru Ekaristi takatifu, mfano kuiba Ekaristi Takatifu, kuitupa, kuichezea; Wale wanaotupilia mbali wajibu wa kutunza familia; Wale wanaowatesa wanafamilia wenzao kwa ukatili mkubwa; Wale wanaodharau desturi takatifu za kanisa Katoliki mfano kuiba vitu vya kanisa, kuchoma au kuharibu vitu vitakafu kwa makusudi kama vile rozari na visakramenti vingine; Wale wanaochochea kuzuka kwa madhehebu potofu miongoni mwa wakatoliki; Wale wanaojihusisha na vitendo vya kuua watu, mfano kwa kuwadhania kuwa ni wachawi, kuwaua walemavu wa ngozi.

Na kwamba, Jumuiya ndogondogo zinayo “mamlaka ya kushauri” (consultative power) kwa vyombo vya Kanisa vyenye mamlaka ya “kutoa uamuzi” (deliberative power) juu ya nani apewe ibada ya mazishi na yupi asipewe, kwa kuwa, ni wakristo wanaoweza kuonyesha kuwa huyu mtu aliiishi imani yake vizuri au alikuwa na vizuizi vilivyotajwa hapo juu au hapana.

Hivyo, ni wazi kwamba, hizi ni taratibu za Kidini kwa ajili ya kujiimarisha kitaasisi kwa kuchora mstari unaoweza kutenganisha watu kati ya "sisi" dhidi ya "wao," huu ukiwa ni mkakati wa kujiongezea waumini. Kila dini yenye hulka ya kujitanua, hasa Ukristo na Uislamu, inazo kanuni za aina hii.

Hata hivyo kanuni hizi haziwezi kukubalika kwa serikali isiyofungamana na dini yoyote kwa kuwa, kuna watu wasiofuata dini yoyote na wanaopaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa, na watu wanaopinga kwa hoja mafundisho ya viongozi wa kanisa, na hasa yale yasiyokubalika kisayansi na kimantiki, wanapaswa kuzikwa baada ya kufa.

Kwa hiyo sasa, swali pana linalozuka hapa ni kwamba, katika mazingira ambako mabaki ya mtu aliyekufa hayawezi kupata huduma za mazishi zinazotolewa na dini za kigeni kama vile Ukristo, Uislamu, Uhindu, na Ubuda, utaratibu gani rasmi wa mazishi unapaswa kutumika?

Kama utaratibu huu ungekuwa bayana, RC Mghwira asingejikuta anakwaruzana na paroko wa Kanisa Katoliki.

Nimeangalia sheria ya kusajili Vizazi na Vifo (birth and death registration act) pamoja na sheria ya kutunza Afya ya Umma (public health act) lakini sikuona mwongozo mzuri juu ya jambo hili.

Ni kama vile siku zote Taifa limekasimu madaraka ya kuzika mabaki ya raia wake kwa taasisi za kidini bila kuona hatari iliyoko mbeleni, na hasa pale, sheria za kidini zinapoweza kugeuka chimbuko la "public nuisance" inayoongelewa kwenye sheria ya utunzaji wa afya ya jamii.

Hivyo naomba kuwauliza enyi learned fellows: Ni sheria gani zinapaswa kutumika kuratibu haki na majukumu yanayohusiana na mazishi ya marehemu ("burial rights and duties") hapa Tanzania?

View attachment 1671759
Nyumba iliyoteketea kwa moto huko Kilimanjaro juzi na kuua watu wanne

Nimepata maelezo yafuatayo mahali, japo sina uhakika kama Tanzania inayo sheria ambayo ni self-contained kwa kiwango cha kuyajumuisha yote haya. Jisomee.....

============================EXCERPT============================================

Corpse, property rights and a duty to bury

The rights and obligations applicable to human remains is a topic of critical importance to a family facing a death and the wider society. Yet, it is a subject that is seldom discussed critically. This article shall outline the responsibilities and rights as to human remains.

Understanding the term “corpse”

The term “corpse” refers to the physical remains of an expired human being prior to complete decomposition. In the ordinary use of the term, a corpse does not entail property right, as it is not a property per se.

However, for burial purposes the corpse of a human being is considered to be a quasi-property, the rights to which are held by the surviving spouse, the next of kin or a wide community, as circumstances may require. This right cannot be conveyed and does not exist while the decedent is living. Following burial, the body is considered part of the ground in which it is placed.

Articles of Personal Property that have been buried with the body, such as jewelry, may be taken by their rightful owner as determined by traditional property rules or laws relating to descent and distribution or wills, as they are material objects independent of the body.

Burial Rights

The right to a decent burial has long been recognized as Common Law, but no universal rule exists as to whom the right of burial is granted. Generally, unless otherwise provided before death by the deceased, the right will go to the surviving spouse; if there is none, it will go to the next of kin. When a controversy arises concerning the right of burial, each case will be considered on its own merits. The burial right per se is a sacred trust for those who have an interest in the remains.

Although the surviving spouse usually has the principal right to custody of the remains and to burial, special circumstances undermine this right, such as the absence or neglect of the surviving spouse or the separation of the parties at the time of death.

When there is no surviving spouse, the next of kin, in order of age, have the burial rights, unless a friend or remote relative is found by the court to have a superior right. The caretaker of an elderly, childless decedent who lived with the decedent for years prior to his or her death and to whom the estate was bequeathed might have a burial right that is superior to that of relatives.

In the case of the death of a child of divorced parents, the paramount privilege of burial is awarded to the parent who had custody.

The preference of the deceased concerning the disposition of his or her body is a right that should be strictly enforced. Some states confer this right, considering a decedent's wishes of foremost importance.

In most instances, the courts will honor the wishes of the decedent, even in the face of opposition by the surviving spouse or next of kin. If for some reason a decedent's wishes cannot be carried out, direction should be sought by the court. The court will decide how the body should be disposed of and will most likely do so according to the wishes of the surviving spouse or next of kin, provided those wishes are reasonable and not contrary to public policy.

When an individual wishes to direct the disposition of his or her remains, no formality is required. Oral directions are considered to be sufficient, and an individual's last wish will ordinarily be the controlling factor, provided it is within the limits of reason and decency.

Duties as to Burial

Public policy favors the concept of what is colloquially referred to as a "decent burial." There is a strong societal interest in the proper disposition of the bodies of deceased persons. It is universally recognized that a duty is owed to both society and the deceased that the body be buried without any unnecessary delay. This duty rests upon whoever has the right to bury the decedent. At common law, the duty was imposed upon the person under whose roof the deceased died.

Some state statutes specifically name those people who are charged with the duty of having a decedent buried. Statutes of this kind have been enacted for various policy reasons, such as the general interests of public health and the protection of public welfare, as well as the relief of anxiety that some people might experience concerning the proper disposition of their remains.

Rights to Disinterment

After a body has been buried, it is considered to be in the custody of the law; therefore, disinterment is not a matter of right. The disturbance or removal of an interred body is subject to the control and direction of the court.

The law does not favor disinterment, based on the public policy that the sanctity of the grave should be maintained. Once buried, a body should not be disturbed. A court will not ordinarily order or permit a body to be disinterred unless there is a strong showing of necessity that disinterment is within the interests of justice. Each case is individually decided, based on its own particular facts and circumstances.

The courts frequently allow a change of burial place in order to enable people who were together during life to be buried together, such as husbands and wives, or family members. Disinterment for the purposes of reburial in a family plot acquired at a later date is generally authorized by law, particularly if the request is made by the surviving members of the decedent's family.

Disinterment may be allowed under certain circumstances, such as when a cemetery has been abandoned as a burial place or when it is condemned by the state by virtue of its Eminent Domain power for public improvement.

Consideration of the deceased's wishes as to his or her burial place is instrumental in a decision of a court as to whether or not a body should be disinterred. Such wishes are of paramount importance but are not necessarily controlling in all cases, such as when subsequent circumstances require a change of burial. In states that have statutes regulating the exhumation or removal of the dead, such statutes are controlling.

Purchasing a lot in a cemetery entails a contract that obligates the purchaser and his or her survivors to abide by and observe the laws, rules, and regulations of the cemetery as well as those of the religious group that maintains it. When a dispute over the right to disinter a corpse arises, the court must make a finding of fact as to whether or not the rules or regulations of the cemetery forbid it.

Rights of Particular Persons to Disinterment

The surviving spouse or next of kin of a deceased person has the right to let the body remain undisturbed. This right, however, is not absolute and can be violated when it conflicts with the public good or when the demands of justice require it.

Also, the right to change the place of burial is not absolute, and the courts take various factors into consideration when deciding whether a body should be removed for burial elsewhere, such as the occurrence of unforeseen events. If an elderly woman's husband died and was buried in one town and she subsequently moved to another town, she might be allowed to have his remains removed to a different location to facilitate her visits to his grave.

The consent of the surviving spouse of a decedent to the decedent's original resting place is another factor that the court will consider in determining whether a body may be disinterred, particularly if it is against the wishes of the next of kin. Once consent has been shown, the burial will usually not be disturbed in the absence of strong and convincing evidence of new and unforeseen events.

If a body is improperly buried—that is, buried in a grave belonging to someone else who has not consented to the burial—the court will order the body removed for reburial.

A landowner who allows the burial of a deceased person on his or her property cannot later remove the body against the will of the surviving spouse or next of kin. On the other hand, the landowner is entitled to object to the removal of the remains from his or her land. A landowner may not assert that a burial was made without his or her consent if he or she fails to raise any objections within a reasonable time after the interment of the decedent.

Disinterment for Autopsies

The disinterment of a body may be ordered by the courts for the purpose of an autopsy. Courts may permit a body to be exhumed and an autopsy to be performed under certain circumstances in order to discover truth and promote justice. If disinterment for the purpose of examination is to be allowed, good cause and exigent circumstances must exist to make such action necessary, such as controversy over the cause of death, or to determine in an heirship proceeding whether or not a decedent ever gave birth to a child.

Disinterment for an autopsy should not be granted arbitrarily. The law will only search for facts by this method in the rarest of cases and when there is a reasonable probability that answers will be found through disturbing interment.

Civil Liabilities

A civil action for breach of contract as to the care and burial of a corpse may be brought under certain circumstances. An individual who makes an agreement to properly bury a corpse may be subject to a lawsuit if he or she gives the body an improper burial, negligently allows the body to be taken from his or her custody, or allows the body to suffer indignities while in his or her possession.

General rules that govern damages for breach of contract have been applied in these actions. In one case, an undertaker was sued for failure to embalm a body in such a manner that it would be preserved for a reasonably long time. The plaintiff recovered damages for illness and disability suffered when he found out that the body had disintegrated and become infested with insects as a result of the undertaker's breach of contract. However, exemplary or Punitive Damages are not recoverable in such cases.

Funeral or Burial Expenses

Even in the absence of a contract or statute, a person may be liable for funeral or burial expenses based on his or her relationship to the decedent, such as a Husband and Wife, or a Parent and Child. Statutes may also dictate liability. Some statutes designate the persons charged with the duty of burial but do not impose financial responsibility for burial or funeral expenses. Others impose financial liability on designated people in the order in which they are named in the statute.

Liability for burial expenses is not ordinarily imposed on someone merely because that person received a financial benefit as a result of the decedent's death. A joint tenant will not be charged with funeral expenses merely as a result of the joint ownership of property with the deceased.

Contractual Liability An individual who would not ordinarily be obligated to pay for burial or funeral expenses may accept responsibility to do so by contract.

The terms of such an agreement must be very clear. The mere direction to furnish funeral services does not automatically create a contract for their payment. Liability for funeral services cannot be imposed arbitrarily. The obligation to pay the costs of a decent burial will be enforced by the law on those who should properly pay.

Although there is a lack of authority on the question of who should bear the costs of disinterment and reburial, it has generally been held as the responsibility of the person who caused it to be done.

Torts

In the law of TORTS, there are a large number of cases involving the mishandling of corpses. These cases are concerned with mutilation, unauthorized disinterment, interference with proper burial, and other types of intentional disturbance. The breach of any duty as well as the unlawful invasion of any right existing with regard to a corpse is a tort for which an action may be commenced.

For example, if the wrong body is delivered to a funeral home and the family discovers this when they attend the wake, they may be able to recover damages for mental suffering. Thus, the right of recovery is not necessarily based directly on injury to the corpse per se. Exemplary damages may be awarded in cases where the injury to plaintiffs was either malicious or resulting from gross negligence.

The award of damages is subject to appellate court review, and the adequacy or excessiveness of the amount awarded is dependent upon the particular circumstances of each case.

A tort action for damages in such cases may be maintained to protect the personal feelings of the survivors and, mainly, to compensate for the mental distress that has been caused.

Mutilation, Embalmment, and Autopsy

An important component of the right to decent burial is the right to possession of the body in the same condition in which it is left by death. There is no additional basis for recovery where mutilation is caused simultaneously with death, as in the case of a person who dies in a train crash or who is fatally stabbed.

Some statutes authorize the delivery of corpses to medical colleges for dissection under certain conditions. It is mandatory, however, that the consent of relatives be obtained if such relatives can be found. Only a reasonable inquiry is necessary, the duty of which is on the school and on those delivering the body.

The unauthorized embalming of a body alone does not necessarily support a Cause of Action for damages based upon mutilation or mishandling. When such unauthorized embalming occurs, combined with the resulting mental suffering of the next of kin and other such factors, a legal action may be brought.

If, for example, an unauthorized embalming contrary to the decedent's religious beliefs is performed, an actionable wrong occurs for which damages may be granted.

Generally, an unauthorized autopsy is a tort. No liability exists, however, when an autopsy is performed in accordance with the consent of the individual having burial rights or pursuant to statute or the proper execution of the duties of the coroner.

Offenses and Prosecutions

Several varied offenses with respect to corpses are recognized both at common law and under statute. At common law, it is an offense to treat a corpse indecently by keeping, handling, and exposing it to view in order to create the impression that the deceased is still alive. The attempt to dispose of a corpse for gain and profit is a misdemeanor punishable at common law.

Ordinarily, it is a misdemeanor for the individual possessing the duty of having a body buried to refuse or neglect to do so, or to dispose of the corpse indecently. The burning of a corpse in such a way as to incite the feelings of the public is a common-law offense.

At common law and often under statute, interfering with another person's right of burial or neglecting to bury or cremate a body within a reasonable time after death is an offense. It is also a crime to detain a body as security for the payment of a debt.

The mutilation of a corpse is an offense at common law, and under some statutes, the unauthorized dissection of a corpse is a specific criminal offense. Someone who receives a corpse for the purpose of dissection with the knowledge that it has been unlawfully removed is subject to prosecution.

The unauthorized disturbance of a grave is indictable at common law and by statute as highly contrary to acceptable community conduct. Similarly, the unauthorized disinterment of a body is a criminal offense under some statutes and at common law.

Some statutes make disinterment for specified purposes an offense; therefore, an offense is not committed unless disinterment was done for such purposes. A case where a body was exhumed and a portion of the body was removed by the next of kin for use as evidence in a Malpractice trial, however, did not warrant prosecution for removal of the body because of mere wantonness, as set forth in a statute.

Under laws that proscribe opening a grave to remove anything interred, the act is forbidden per se and is conclusive as to the intent with which it is done. In such cases, no specific intent, whether felonious or otherwise, needs to be shown.

Statutes that make make disinterment an offense do not apply to exhumations made by public officials attempting to ascertain whether a crime has been committed. Similarly, statutes are not directed against cemetery authorities who wish to change the place of burial and who are authorized to do so; nor are they directed against people who had obtained the permission of those having burial rights or against those who, under necessary permit, remove the corpse of a relative for reinterment.

 

[Mama Amon]

Najibu kichwa cha habari. Wenye jukumu la kuzika maiti ni wale wenye jukumu la kukurithi. Mtoto wako,wazazi wako na ndugu wengine wa karibu.

Asante kwa maarifa.
Pia Bunyoro Kitara ameongezea ufafanua murua.

Nimepata maelezo yafuatayo mahali, japo sina uhakika kama Tanzania inayo sheria ambayo ni self-contained kwa kiwango cha kuyajumuisha yote haya. Jisomee.....

============================EXCERPT============================================

Corpse, property rights and a duty to bury

The rights and obligations applicable to human remains is a topic of critical importance to a family facing a death and the wider society. Yet, it is a subject that is seldom discussed critically. This article shall outline the responsibilities and rights as to human remains.

Understanding the term “corpse”

The term “corpse” refers to the physical remains of an expired human being prior to complete decomposition. In the ordinary use of the term, a corpse does not entail property right, as it is not a property per se.

However, for burial purposes the corpse of a human being is considered to be a quasi-property, the rights to which are held by the surviving spouse, the next of kin or a wide community, as circumstances may require. This right cannot be conveyed and does not exist while the decedent is living. Following burial, the body is considered part of the ground in which it is placed.

Articles of Personal Property that have been buried with the body, such as jewelry, may be taken by their rightful owner as determined by traditional property rules or laws relating to descent and distribution or wills, as they are material objects independent of the body.

Burial Rights

The right to a decent burial has long been recognized as Common Law, but no universal rule exists as to whom the right of burial is granted. Generally, unless otherwise provided before death by the deceased, the right will go to the surviving spouse; if there is none, it will go to the next of kin. When a controversy arises concerning the right of burial, each case will be considered on its own merits. The burial right per se is a sacred trust for those who have an interest in the remains.

Although the surviving spouse usually has the principal right to custody of the remains and to burial, special circumstances undermine this right, such as the absence or neglect of the surviving spouse or the separation of the parties at the time of death.

When there is no surviving spouse, the next of kin, in order of age, have the burial rights, unless a friend or remote relative is found by the court to have a superior right. The caretaker of an elderly, childless decedent who lived with the decedent for years prior to his or her death and to whom the estate was bequeathed might have a burial right that is superior to that of relatives.

In the case of the death of a child of divorced parents, the paramount privilege of burial is awarded to the parent who had custody.

The preference of the deceased concerning the disposition of his or her body is a right that should be strictly enforced. Some states confer this right, considering a decedent's wishes of foremost importance.

In most instances, the courts will honor the wishes of the decedent, even in the face of opposition by the surviving spouse or next of kin. If for some reason a decedent's wishes cannot be carried out, direction should be sought by the court. The court will decide how the body should be disposed of and will most likely do so according to the wishes of the surviving spouse or next of kin, provided those wishes are reasonable and not contrary to public policy.

When an individual wishes to direct the disposition of his or her remains, no formality is required. Oral directions are considered to be sufficient, and an individual's last wish will ordinarily be the controlling factor, provided it is within the limits of reason and decency.

Duties as to Burial

Public policy favors the concept of what is colloquially referred to as a "decent burial." There is a strong societal interest in the proper disposition of the bodies of deceased persons. It is universally recognized that a duty is owed to both society and the deceased that the body be buried without any unnecessary delay. This duty rests upon whoever has the right to bury the decedent. At common law, the duty was imposed upon the person under whose roof the deceased died.

Some state statutes specifically name those people who are charged with the duty of having a decedent buried. Statutes of this kind have been enacted for various policy reasons, such as the general interests of public health and the protection of public welfare, as well as the relief of anxiety that some people might experience concerning the proper disposition of their remains.

Rights to Disinterment

After a body has been buried, it is considered to be in the custody of the law; therefore, disinterment is not a matter of right. The disturbance or removal of an interred body is subject to the control and direction of the court.

The law does not favor disinterment, based on the public policy that the sanctity of the grave should be maintained. Once buried, a body should not be disturbed. A court will not ordinarily order or permit a body to be disinterred unless there is a strong showing of necessity that disinterment is within the interests of justice. Each case is individually decided, based on its own particular facts and circumstances.

The courts frequently allow a change of burial place in order to enable people who were together during life to be buried together, such as husbands and wives, or family members. Disinterment for the purposes of reburial in a family plot acquired at a later date is generally authorized by law, particularly if the request is made by the surviving members of the decedent's family.

Disinterment may be allowed under certain circumstances, such as when a cemetery has been abandoned as a burial place or when it is condemned by the state by virtue of its Eminent Domain power for public improvement.

Consideration of the deceased's wishes as to his or her burial place is instrumental in a decision of a court as to whether or not a body should be disinterred. Such wishes are of paramount importance but are not necessarily controlling in all cases, such as when subsequent circumstances require a change of burial. In states that have statutes regulating the exhumation or removal of the dead, such statutes are controlling.

Purchasing a lot in a cemetery entails a contract that obligates the purchaser and his or her survivors to abide by and observe the laws, rules, and regulations of the cemetery as well as those of the religious group that maintains it. When a dispute over the right to disinter a corpse arises, the court must make a finding of fact as to whether or not the rules or regulations of the cemetery forbid it.

Rights of Particular Persons to Disinterment

The surviving spouse or next of kin of a deceased person has the right to let the body remain undisturbed. This right, however, is not absolute and can be violated when it conflicts with the public good or when the demands of justice require it.

Also, the right to change the place of burial is not absolute, and the courts take various factors into consideration when deciding whether a body should be removed for burial elsewhere, such as the occurrence of unforeseen events. If an elderly woman's husband died and was buried in one town and she subsequently moved to another town, she might be allowed to have his remains removed to a different location to facilitate her visits to his grave.

The consent of the surviving spouse of a decedent to the decedent's original resting place is another factor that the court will consider in determining whether a body may be disinterred, particularly if it is against the wishes of the next of kin. Once consent has been shown, the burial will usually not be disturbed in the absence of strong and convincing evidence of new and unforeseen events.

If a body is improperly buried—that is, buried in a grave belonging to someone else who has not consented to the burial—the court will order the body removed for reburial.

A landowner who allows the burial of a deceased person on his or her property cannot later remove the body against the will of the surviving spouse or next of kin. On the other hand, the landowner is entitled to object to the removal of the remains from his or her land. A landowner may not assert that a burial was made without his or her consent if he or she fails to raise any objections within a reasonable time after the interment of the decedent.

Disinterment for Autopsies

The disinterment of a body may be ordered by the courts for the purpose of an autopsy. Courts may permit a body to be exhumed and an autopsy to be performed under certain circumstances in order to discover truth and promote justice. If disinterment for the purpose of examination is to be allowed, good cause and exigent circumstances must exist to make such action necessary, such as controversy over the cause of death, or to determine in an heirship proceeding whether or not a decedent ever gave birth to a child.

Disinterment for an autopsy should not be granted arbitrarily. The law will only search for facts by this method in the rarest of cases and when there is a reasonable probability that answers will be found through disturbing interment.

Civil Liabilities

A civil action for breach of contract as to the care and burial of a corpse may be brought under certain circumstances. An individual who makes an agreement to properly bury a corpse may be subject to a lawsuit if he or she gives the body an improper burial, negligently allows the body to be taken from his or her custody, or allows the body to suffer indignities while in his or her possession.

General rules that govern damages for breach of contract have been applied in these actions. In one case, an undertaker was sued for failure to embalm a body in such a manner that it would be preserved for a reasonably long time. The plaintiff recovered damages for illness and disability suffered when he found out that the body had disintegrated and become infested with insects as a result of the undertaker's breach of contract. However, exemplary or Punitive Damages are not recoverable in such cases.

Funeral or Burial Expenses

Even in the absence of a contract or statute, a person may be liable for funeral or burial expenses based on his or her relationship to the decedent, such as a Husband and Wife, or a Parent and Child. Statutes may also dictate liability. Some statutes designate the persons charged with the duty of burial but do not impose financial responsibility for burial or funeral expenses. Others impose financial liability on designated people in the order in which they are named in the statute.

Liability for burial expenses is not ordinarily imposed on someone merely because that person received a financial benefit as a result of the decedent's death. A joint tenant will not be charged with funeral expenses merely as a result of the joint ownership of property with the deceased.

Contractual Liability An individual who would not ordinarily be obligated to pay for burial or funeral expenses may accept responsibility to do so by contract.

The terms of such an agreement must be very clear. The mere direction to furnish funeral services does not automatically create a contract for their payment. Liability for funeral services cannot be imposed arbitrarily. The obligation to pay the costs of a decent burial will be enforced by the law on those who should properly pay.

Although there is a lack of authority on the question of who should bear the costs of disinterment and reburial, it has generally been held as the responsibility of the person who caused it to be done.

Torts

In the law of TORTS, there are a large number of cases involving the mishandling of corpses. These cases are concerned with mutilation, unauthorized disinterment, interference with proper burial, and other types of intentional disturbance. The breach of any duty as well as the unlawful invasion of any right existing with regard to a corpse is a tort for which an action may be commenced.

For example, if the wrong body is delivered to a funeral home and the family discovers this when they attend the wake, they may be able to recover damages for mental suffering. Thus, the right of recovery is not necessarily based directly on injury to the corpse per se. Exemplary damages may be awarded in cases where the injury to plaintiffs was either malicious or resulting from gross negligence.

The award of damages is subject to appellate court review, and the adequacy or excessiveness of the amount awarded is dependent upon the particular circumstances of each case.

A tort action for damages in such cases may be maintained to protect the personal feelings of the survivors and, mainly, to compensate for the mental distress that has been caused.

Mutilation, Embalmment, and Autopsy

An important component of the right to decent burial is the right to possession of the body in the same condition in which it is left by death. There is no additional basis for recovery where mutilation is caused simultaneously with death, as in the case of a person who dies in a train crash or who is fatally stabbed.

Some statutes authorize the delivery of corpses to medical colleges for dissection under certain conditions. It is mandatory, however, that the consent of relatives be obtained if such relatives can be found. Only a reasonable inquiry is necessary, the duty of which is on the school and on those delivering the body.

The unauthorized embalming of a body alone does not necessarily support a Cause of Action for damages based upon mutilation or mishandling. When such unauthorized embalming occurs, combined with the resulting mental suffering of the next of kin and other such factors, a legal action may be brought.

If, for example, an unauthorized embalming contrary to the decedent's religious beliefs is performed, an actionable wrong occurs for which damages may be granted.

Generally, an unauthorized autopsy is a tort. No liability exists, however, when an autopsy is performed in accordance with the consent of the individual having burial rights or pursuant to statute or the proper execution of the duties of the coroner.

Offenses and Prosecutions

Several varied offenses with respect to corpses are recognized both at common law and under statute. At common law, it is an offense to treat a corpse indecently by keeping, handling, and exposing it to view in order to create the impression that the deceased is still alive. The attempt to dispose of a corpse for gain and profit is a misdemeanor punishable at common law.

Ordinarily, it is a misdemeanor for the individual possessing the duty of having a body buried to refuse or neglect to do so, or to dispose of the corpse indecently. The burning of a corpse in such a way as to incite the feelings of the public is a common-law offense.

At common law and often under statute, interfering with another person's right of burial or neglecting to bury or cremate a body within a reasonable time after death is an offense. It is also a crime to detain a body as security for the payment of a debt.

The mutilation of a corpse is an offense at common law, and under some statutes, the unauthorized dissection of a corpse is a specific criminal offense. Someone who receives a corpse for the purpose of dissection with the knowledge that it has been unlawfully removed is subject to prosecution.

The unauthorized disturbance of a grave is indictable at common law and by statute as highly contrary to acceptable community conduct. Similarly, the unauthorized disinterment of a body is a criminal offense under some statutes and at common law.

Some statutes make disinterment for specified purposes an offense; therefore, an offense is not committed unless disinterment was done for such purposes. A case where a body was exhumed and a portion of the body was removed by the next of kin for use as evidence in a Malpractice trial, however, did not warrant prosecution for removal of the body because of mere wantonness, as set forth in a statute.

Under laws that proscribe opening a grave to remove anything interred, the act is forbidden per se and is conclusive as to the intent with which it is done. In such cases, no specific intent, whether felonious or otherwise, needs to be shown.

Statutes that make make disinterment an offense do not apply to exhumations made by public officials attempting to ascertain whether a crime has been committed. Similarly, statutes are not directed against cemetery authorities who wish to change the place of burial and who are authorized to do so; nor are they directed against people who had obtained the permission of those having burial rights or against those who, under necessary permit, remove the corpse of a relative for reinterment.

 

[Chumchang Changchum]

Majanga makubwa Taifa linashughulikia maziko,

 

[mwangubii]

Kwa upande wa Uisilamu hauna utamaduni wa kumbagua mtu inapobidi kumuhifadhi, kumzika iwe alikuwa anaswali Au la, Alifunga ndoa hakufunga ndoa
Inaenda mbali zaidi na hata kama ni wa Dini nyingine tofauti na Uisilamu, atazikwa lakini Kwa utaratibu wa kiisilami.Sababu ni haki ya marehemu kuzikwa kwa heshima zote bila kubagua, kama alikuwa na mapungufu watakutana na Mola wake