The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, has strongly condemned the abductions and killings of albinos and young children.
She called on traditional chiefs and religious leaders to unite in their condemnation to put an end to these atrocities.
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President Samia made these remarks on July 20, 2024, while speaking to chiefs from various regions of the country at the State House grounds in Chamwino, Dodoma.
“No tribe or region supports the killing of Albinos, the mutilation of their bodies, or similar acts,” she declared.
“If there are outsiders bringing such practices to us, we must reject them because they are not part of our culture,” President Samia added.
She further stated, “When you look into these incidents deeply, you often find they are related to upcoming elections.
People think they can gain political power through these means.
If these are leaders, tell them that leadership is not obtained by killing people or using human body parts. You could kill ten people and still not achieve leadership.”
Addressing the issue of kidnappings, President Samia noted that many people blame the government.
“When we talk about kidnappings, people ask who was kidnapped.
Sometimes you find that a child staged their own kidnapping to extort money from their family, or a mother kidnapped her own child to get money from the father.
But the way it is reported in the newspapers makes it seem as if the government is not doing its job and people are being kidnapped left and right.”
“These incidents are happening within our communities, and I urge us all to speak out and condemn them,” she emphasized.
The President also called on the chiefs to address conflicts between farmers and herders to prevent deaths arising from land disputes.
Furthermore, she promised to support the construction of a House of Chiefs in Dodoma, ensuring that the building reflects the image of a Tanzanian home.