In Tanzania, the election season brings a unique and terrifying fear for individuals like Mariam Staford, a 42-year-old woman living with albinism. The shadow of violence looms large over this community, especially during elections, as superstition and witchcraft beliefs intensify.
Alfred Lasteck, BBC Africa's correspondent in Northern Tanzania, brings us this story, a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those with albinism.
For Mariam, every election cycle is a fresh trauma, a reminder of the brutal attacks she and others have endured. As the country prepares to vote for its president and parliament, Mariam's fears are justified. She knows all too well the dangers that lurk in the shadows, having survived a horrific attack herself.
"The first thing that comes to me is fear," she tells the BBC. "I know the killings happen, especially at election time. The belief in witchcraft is strong, and I'm terrified."
Albinism, a rare genetic condition affecting an estimated 30,000 people in Tanzania, reduces melanin, the pigment that gives color to skin, eyes, and hair. This condition has made those living with it targets of superstition and violence.
The false belief that their body parts bring wealth, luck, or political success has driven a wave of attacks and killings across the country. Activists argue that these assaults intensify during election periods, as political influence becomes a coveted prize.
Mariam's personal experience is a testament to this terrifying reality. In 2008, a year marked by some of the bloodiest attacks on people with albinism, her life changed forever. While preparing for local elections, machete-wielding men invaded her bedroom in Kagera, a northwestern border region.
"They came late at night," she recalls. "They cut off my right hand above the elbow and took it away. Then, they did the same to my left hand."
Mariam was left unconscious, and the next day, a doctor declared her dead. Miraculously, she survived, but her five-month-old unborn child did not. The attack left her with permanent disabilities and forced her to flee Kagera, one of the epicenters of these ritualistic killings.
"Even now, I sometimes dream of that night. When I wake up, I touch my arms, remembering they're not there. It's a memory I'll never escape," she says.
Mariam's story is just one of many. Since 2008, Under the Same Sun, a rights group for people with albinism, has documented 211 such incidents in Tanzania:
- 79 people killed
- 100 people mutilated but survived
- 3 victims not injured
- 2 people abducted and still missing
- 27 graves desecrated, with body parts looted
The global condemnation that followed these killings prompted a government crackdown. The then-president, Jakaya Kikwete, condemned the attacks and called for tough action against the perpetrators. Tanzania intensified its investigations into witchcraft-related killings and tightened laws against discrimination.
But here's where it gets controversial... Despite these efforts, the attacks persist. In June of this year, an attack was recorded in the northwestern town of Simuyu. While the victim remained unharmed, they were moved to a safe house.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has recently warned against harmful traditional beliefs, stating they have no place in Tanzania's elections. Senyi Ngaga, a district commissioner from an area prone to these attacks, believes government education campaigns have raised understanding, but rural areas remain vulnerable to superstitions and discrimination.
"We need everyone in the community to get involved and stop these attacks," Ngaga says. "We recently held a festival with traditional healers, where we talked and advised them to be ambassadors, rejecting these acts and protecting people with albinism."
While progress has been made with awareness drives, civil society programs, and school inclusion initiatives, campaign groups and survivors argue that more needs to be done by the government.
And this is the part most people miss... Communities are slowly beginning to understand that people with albinism are not cursed, and that superstitions can have deadly consequences. However, the murder of two-year-old Asimwe Novath last year serves as a grim reminder that the issue is far from resolved.
Witnesses reported that two unidentified men forcibly took Asimwe while she played with her mother. Seventeen days later, parts of her body were found in a sack under a bridge in the same region. Her remains were later buried at her family home.
Nine suspects have been charged with premeditated murder, but the case remains ongoing.
For Mariam, this case brought back haunting memories of her own attack. "It's a pain I know all too well, and a memory her mother will never forget," she says.
Mariam's experience has left her living in fear. She avoids crowds and rarely leaves home unaccompanied. As the vote approaches, she chooses not to cast a ballot, skeptical of the impact it will have on her life.
Instead, she will spend the day in quiet solitude at her home in Kilimanjaro.
So, what can be done to address this issue? Is it enough to raise awareness, or do we need more stringent measures? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
