Kikwete pressured to Hang killers of people with albinism

Tanzania Albinism Society (TAS) has urged President Jakaya Kikwete to assent to death penalties handed down to people convicted for killing people with albinism.

The society’s chairman Ernest Kimaya, also wants the government to allow the United Nations to intervene by forming an independent commission to investigate albino killings so as to come up with a lasting solution.

Mr Kimaya said since politicians and other wealthy people were associated with albino killings, it is important for a UN led independent team to investigate.

According to Mr Kimaya, the death penalty to convicts should be executed so as to serve as a warning against those harbouring similar intentions — killing people with albinism.

Mr Kimaya was speaking yesterday during the closing of the society’s three-day meeting held here. He argued that delays in executing the penalties would amount to violation of the Constitution that the President vowed to protect.

According to Mr Kimaya, people with albinism have now started losing confidence in the authorities given the escalation of violations of human rights targeting them.

“I remember when Mwanza Regional Police Commander (Simon Siro) was murdered, it took a very short time for the culprits to be arrested. Just imagine, even Siro’s keys that had been dumped in the toilet were recovered,” he said.

Mr Kimaya wondered why the same government that was quick at launching such operations as Tokomeza had failed to do the same to prevent albino killings.

He urged the government to take the matter very seriously because it was not right that some people in the country should live under constant fear right in their own country. “If the government doesn’t have money to set up an independent commission against albino killings, it should ask for support from the international community,” said Mr Kimaya.

For his part, the association’s Mwanza regional chairman Alfred Kapole, condemned the recent abduction of a girl with albinism in the region. He called for authorities to make sure that the girl is found and re-united with her family and the culprits should be taken to face the law.

The Citizen