The cost of funerals, a heavy burden for many families in DR Congo

Funeral costs (mortuary, coffin, vault, hearse, wake hall) often reach several thousand dollars, according to the Union for the Defense of Consumer Rights of Congo (UDECOM). Its president, Chief Tipamba Ngambamalu, believes the state should regulate the sector because grieving families are not in a position to negotiate. Listeners of the Okapi Service program suggest regulating costs, encouraging funeral mutuals, and promoting sober funerals.