FOR generations, graveyards have been considered sacred grounds. However, they have undergone a significant shift in recent times. What were once places of solemn reflection are now slowly turning into marketplaces, with vendors selling everything from cigarettes to alcohol. Some funeral-goers gather not only to pay their respects but also to indulge in a drink or two. “When there’s a funeral for a well-known person, the crowd is huge, and so are my sales,” says Ruth Zulu, who sells beer and cigarettes at Memorial Park and New Cemetery. With a capital of K700, Ruth often walks away with a tidy profit of K500. For 33-year-old Lizzy, selling beer and cigarettes isn’t just a business, it’s survival. Normally, she doesn’t sell...