Song on people with albinism moves JK to tears in Arusha

Arusha/Dar es Salaam. President Jakaya Kikwete was moved to tears yesterday when listening to a sorrowful song by children during the commemoration of the Albinism Awareness Day at national level at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha.

The President said the song by the children with albinism from Tanga Region had moved him right from the beginning. “The song has touched me, we’ve heard your outcry and promise to cooperate with you in tackling your problems,” he said.

The scene was a reminiscent of Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda who could not resist shedding tears in Parliament when he was required to clarify his statement that those responsible for the brutal ritual killings of albinos must also be killed.

President Kikwete also condenmed perpetrators of albino killings, saying it was stupid for them to think albino body organs could generate wealth.

Mr Kikwete said he was aggrieved by the killings because they tainted Tanzania’s image. “If albino body parts truly generate wealth, albinos themselves would be the richest people in the country.”

Mr Kikwete said the government was already working on the albinos’ request for access to medication particularly of skin cancer, assuring them of free-of-charge access to them.

Albinos also need spectacles, special body lotions and hats to protect them against excessive sun rays.

Mr Kikwete said the 2012 census indicated Tanzania was home to over 2.6 million disabled persons, equivalent to 5.8 per cent of the population. Of them, albinos were 16,475, equivalent to 0.04 per cent of the population.

He pleaded with religious leaders to join the fight against albino killings, saying most of the albino killers might be heir followers .

The government arrested 139 suspects between 2006 and this year, he said, explaining that 13 had been convicted, 73 were acquitted and that cases for 25 others were in progress.

Responding to the albinos’ concern over belated implementation of the death sentence to the convicts, Mr Kikwete said a legal process was in progress to ascertain the verdict.

“Murder cases are serious ones; they take a long time to avert hanging to death innocent people,” said Mr Kikwete.

He invited Home Affairs minister Mathias Chikawe to report on the decision to form a national committee to advise the government on the fight against albino killings.

“Since you are among the persons who have picked up forms for the presidential race, you’ll be better placed in this crusade,” he said, as he urged the audience to consider him ahead of the October General Election.

Mr Chikawe said the process of forming the national committee had been completed and that it would comprise 15 members, five of them from the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS), five from the association of traditional healers, and five from the government.

“We’ll officially announce it next week,” said Mr Chikawe.

He explained that the members of the committee from the government would be drawn from the ministries of Home Affairs and Constitutional and Legal Affairs.

TAS national chairman Ernest Kimaya thanked President Kikwete for implementing some of the agreed tasks, informing him that the standoff over albino leadership was over.

Dr Abdallah Possi asked the government to set aside funds for a campaign on the albino protection.

Reading the TAS statement, Dr Possi said 76 albinos had so far been killed, leading to children with albinism dropping out from school and others living in difficult condition.

Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Coordinator, said the UN would continue cooperating with the government and other stakeholders in the fight against human rights violation particularly the albino killings.

Meanwhile, Tanzania Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance commissioner, Dr Kelvin Mandopi yesterday urged the public to continue educating each other on the rights for people with albinism so that they could be protected from dangers.

Dr Mandopi was speaking during the commemoration of international day for public education on albinism. He said continuous education on issues related to albinism was important for the public so that majority could change their altitude against them.

The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (Unesco) representative, Ms Zulmira Rodrigues said that, in line with those initiative communities should strive to combat discrimination and act as one in ensuring security of people with albinism.

(Reported by Saumu Mwalimu, Mussa Juma and Bertha Ismail)