Killing of albinos of all ages is taking roots in the country as 30 of them have lost their lives within the past 12 months, with the highest number of killings taking place in the lake regions of Mwanza, Mara, Kagera and Shinyanga. Isolated cases have also been reported from Mbeya region.

The killings are spurred by superstitious beliefs of making quick money as witchdoctors advise their clients to get organs and body parts from albinos so as to become rich. Crime scenes are very gruesome - legs, hands, lips, fingers and toes are chopped off from the victims. No one has so far been convicted of the crimes although several people have been charged.

Speaking after the demonstration, a Member of Parliament on Special Seats who is also an albino, Al-Shymaa Kwegyir, said that those who hunt and kill albinos for whatever reasons are not different from terrorists and must be dealt with accordingly.

“The public must unite against these killings by exposing all those who are behind them. They are criminals who want to get easy money without working, but I know they are not going to be wealthy simply by killing albinos; they must work hard in order to earn a decent income,” she said.

The Chairman of Albino Association of Tanzania (AAT), Ernest Kimaya, said that the mysterious killings have sent fear among the albino community to the extent that some of their members cannot go out to work for fear of being abducted and killed.

“Some of our people cannot leave their houses to go to work or for other purposes because they are afraid they will be killed. Our children cannot go to school alone for the same reason. The government should step up efforts to end this problem,” he said.

President Jakaya Kikwete assured them that the government is taking all possible measures to end the killings. “The killings are barbaric and they should be stopped. The government is taking all possible measures to see that albinos live in peace like other Tanzanians,” he said.

He added that the killings have earned Tanzania a bad name. However, he acknowledged the fact that the superstitious beliefs which fuel the killings and the manner of secrecy in which they are conducted are a big challenge to the government in its efforts to net the culprits.

President Kikwete said that the government would also embark on an educational campaign to make people understand that wealth comes through hard work and not by selling albino organs.