Nyaradzo Buys Glen Forest Cemetery, Unveils Luxury-Style Memorial Park Plans
Zimbabwe’s leading funeral assurance company, The Nyaradzo Group, has bought Glen Forest Cemetery and announced plans to transform it into the new Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park, a modern memorial estate featuring landscaped gardens, mausoleums, cremation facilities and luxury-style infrastructure.
The development was announced through the company’s official Facebook page on Thursday, 14 May 2026, while journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono also shared details of the ambitious project.
According to the Nyaradzo Group, the memorial park will feature family plots, private estates, mausoleums, cremation resting spaces, landscaped gardens and 24-hour security.
“Reimagined with greater care, structure, and long-term vision, Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park reflects our commitment to giving you and your loved ones a well-maintained and dignified place of remembrance, reflection, and lasting peace of mind for generations to come,” the company said on Facebook.
Modern Memorial Estate Planned
Hopewell Chin’ono said the project would go beyond a traditional cemetery setup, with plans pointing to a large-scale memorial estate designed with modern infrastructure and hospitality features.
“The new Sahwira Glen Forest Memorial Park is being designed as far more than just a cemetery,” Chin’ono wrote on X.
He added:
“The plans show a major transformation into a modern memorial estate with luxury-style gated entrances, landscaped gardens, a full crematorium, a large contemporary chapel complex and even a restaurant and bar overlooking water features and green spaces.”
According to details shared online, the development is also expected to include paved internal roads, pedestrian walkways, modern parking areas, and controlled-access infrastructure.
Chin’ono said the aim was to create a peaceful environment where families could gather and remember loved ones in comfortable surroundings.
“Nyaradzo said it will create a peaceful, dignified environment where families can gather, remember loved ones and spend time together, rather than simply visiting a traditional burial ground.”
Praise For Philip Mataranyika
The project also sparked praise for Philip Mataranyika, the founder of the Nyaradzo Group.
Chin’ono described Mataranyika as an entrepreneur who built the company from the ground up into an international business operating in several countries.
“It gives me great pleasure to see Zimbabweans building companies from scratch, which is exactly what Philip Mataranyika did, turning Nyaradzo into an international company operating across different countries,” Chin’ono said.
He added that Zimbabweans should celebrate local businesses achieving major milestones.
“More often than not, we do not celebrate each other enough, yet every Zimbabwean should be proud to see companies like Nyaradzo achieving things like this.”
Social Media Reacts
The announcement quickly drew attention online, with many social media users discussing the scale and appearance of the proposed memorial park.
Some users praised the modern concept and landscaping plans, while others discussed how funeral and memorial services in Zimbabwe are evolving over time.
Nyaradzo has not publicly disclosed the value of the acquisition or the total cost of the planned redevelopment.
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