Albino Killings in Tanzania: Is It a Secret behind the Curtain?
By Paul Dotto
It started with a tale of the killing of old women who were believed to be witch for being red-eyed, then swell the ‘prosperous’ business of killing and skinning human beings and sell their skins; and now it is the spread killing of albinos whose body organs are believed to have cause of prosperity.
The ongoing mysterious albino killings in Tanzania for more than a year now have caused apprehension among the albino community as they now feel very insecure under the circumstances. But the more the tragic is fought, the more the killing is.
In many regions, especially the ones which have highly been reported on the murders, albinos are even afraid of staying, walking or travelling alone to avoid potential risks.
The killings, according to various Tanzania media reports, were mostly reported in Lake Victoria zone regions especially Mwanza, Shinyanga, Tabora and Mara since March 2007, up to the moment, the killings have been accelerating rather than decreasing.
Besides the albino killings, the four regions are also notorious for killing people believed to be witches or wizards. A mere rumour that one is a witch is often enough justification for an angry mob to kill a suspect of witchcraft.
With the spread rumor behind the murders that, albino organs, particularly genitals, limbs, breasts, fingers and the tongue posses mystical powers that can make a person fabulously rich within a short time, are reportedly in high demand by people involved in mining and fishing activities in the zone.
Albinism, which is a congenital lack of melanin pigment which protects the skin, eyes and hair from the sun’s ultraviolet rays; to Witch Doctors and some people, body parts of an albino are believed that have magic powers to bring fortune.
My adventure to the two regions of Mwanza and Shinyanga during the last short vacation of Christmas and New Year made me witness something on and behind these mysterious murder activities.
As what cracks one’s head is why, despite all efforts by the government and other social groups to stop the inhuman killing, it is more accelerating, causing even a stiff disbelief to how the government tackles the matter. Maduhu Mfumuntale (not his real name), one of the elders at Utemini village, nearby Mwadui Diamond Mining in Shinyanga region reveals;
“It is not only the laymen looking for richness are the ones involved in these (Albino) killings, Witch Doctors’ customers here include very respectable politicians, business people and many others,” He says, asking for anonymity.
He further reveals the ineffectiveness of what is believed to be ‘medicine towards prosperity’; instead, he condemns people driven with ignorance, idle mind and lazy path of getting wealth.
“What do you do as a Witch Doctor, if someone comes with lots sum of money, specifying to you that make me the Albino medicine so that I become rich?” asks the 77 years old man in a pure version of his native Sukuma language.
“What witch Doctors do, is to instruct the ones on bringing some crucial Albino organs so that a particular medicine needed, after mixing with some of wild roots, is found and given to the one,” reveals Mfumuntale.
On the other hand the Vice Rector of Nyegezi Catholic Seminary in Mwanza, Fr. Stephen Kadillo says, in his views, each day new ways of easily getting albinos and killing them are discovered and employed by the people who do not have good will with these innocents.
“Currently, other people pretend to be good-hearted to Albinos and take them to live with for ensuring them security, but it all ends with secretly killing them and fulfill their ill-intentions,” explains the priest in sorrow.
This correlates with the report by the media at the end of last year that, a certain man in Kahama district in Shinyanga, made all appropriate procedures of a marriage with an albino girl, a marriage which soon ended by killing the newly wife and disappearing with the deceased body parts!
The government of the United Republic of Tanzania and international community has repeatedly intervened and called for immediate crackdown on people behind the superstitious albino killings going on in the country.
President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete who attended a protest march against the killings organized by the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS) in October 2008 in Dar es Salaam said the government would hunt down the perpetrators to end the mess.
Dismissing as ‘utterly stupid’ the belief that albino parts can bring success to business people, he said efforts to deal with the network that was involved in the killings were going on and urged people to shun secrecy and help the police.
“Riches are not acquired through the killing of albinos but by working hard,” said President Kikwete, who early last year nominated a Member of Parliament, Ms Al-shaimaa Kway-gir, the only albino in the National Assembly.
While the President’s orders followed a countrywide outcry over the killings amid reports that more than 50 albinos were murdered since March 2007, the government has been accused of not working on the matter with serious and appropriate measures.
Last year for instance, the Albino society condemned and called upon to step down the Minister for Home Affairs, Lawrence Masha for what they called ‘his unsatisfactory concern’ on the matter for he was once quoted by media saying ‘Albino killings were not at that high extent but were merely much exaggerated by the media’.
Although, according to media reports and TAS, a total of 172 suspects had by April 2008 arrested in connection with the killing of albinos in the country, while the recent reports show an addition of 58 people were arrested by October, there are no reports on punishment or convictions to the suspects on basis of lack of evidences.
Meanwhile, in the end of November last year, This Day newspaper, a daily publication reported of the four police officers who were arrested in Shinyanga for their alleged conspiracy in the ongoing albino killings in the region.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) sources, albino hardly exceed 170,000 people in the country nearly to TAS report that there are over 150,000, but only 8,000 are registered with the association and noted that many are killed at birth.
On the National Albino day May 4th last year, the Kenyan albinos sympathized with their Tanzania counterpart and, when talking to Tanzania journalists in Dar es Salaam, they expressed their great concern about the killings and wished them to stop and not spread to Kenya.
“We are very concerned about the killings that could easily spread to our country, something we would not like to happen,” said the Albino Association of Kenya chairman, Alex Munyere.
It is an open secret that the situation is still worse for the killing has been increasing each day. It is a high challenge to appropriate authorities to deal with the network involving in the killing as what President Kikwete called upon.
It is a shame to the country given pride of maintaining peace and tranquility entertain the insecurity and uncomfortable condition to these disabled people, who are equal to other human beings.
HATUTANYAMAZA, Tuwatetee viumbe hawa!
A group of young journalists who decided to visit the slums recently, are in the 'streets and venues' of the place.
"Haaa!Kumbe vyote vipo," seem to be saying journalists fond of Sports; Andrew Mwanguhya-Ugandan (L) and Frank Kimboy-Tanzanian (R); as they pose at the Liverpool vs Arsenal match ad to be 'broadcast' live tonight in one of the slums 'halls'
'Let's have a group photo in memory of this visit', say these journalists.'Mdau' in a dark blue shirt could not miss too!
'Traditional treatment are also found'!-The 'Doctor' is not from Sumbawanga...he comes from Uganda!
'This is only a small part of the whole area...mpaka kuleee, yote hiyo ni Kibera, usipime!", tells Erick Mchome.
Spritual services are also available..the choice is yours..either to be saved or not.
The view continues...'mdau at the centre of this largest slum in Africa..anyone who knows the other one found in South Africa- Soweto, give us details...
Ahaaa!The railway to Uganda-It was recently uprooted by Kibera residents claiming the Migingo island ownership dispute between Kenya and Uganda to be resolved. Infact they were sending a message to Uganda, "Migingo is Kenya's"! Yetu macho!
Few minutes before the walk.."Get ready for a long walk, I know the place, it is so large.." says Gibson a.k.a. G(left), A Lecturer at St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT)- currently persuing MA at Daystar University-Nairobi. (R-L)Lugongo, Alex, mdau and Frank.
The walk continues...
