The security of albino people in Kenya and Tanzania is considered precarious following reports that Enock Jamenya, a 56 year-old man was attacked last week by three people at his home in Gavudunyi village, Kenya.
“When I told them I did not have any money, they asked for my ear or hand to sell to Tanzania,” Jamenya told the Daily Nation while in hospital.
The attackers sliced Jamenya’s left ear, arm, neck and fingers and left him unconscious only to be discovered by his son in a pool of blood.
Following the attack, there are renewed fears over the security of people living with albinism ahead of Tanzania’s October elections, with prevailing attitudes perpetrated by some witchdoctors that albino body parts bring good luck.
Martin Wanyonyi, the coordinator of Albinism Empowerment Network, has called on the Kenyan government to provide security to all albinos and “warned that if the attackers are not arrested in 48 hours, his group would hold a demonstration”.
It is disheartening to note that albinos are still widely ‘hunted’ in Tanzania by witch doctors. Both children and adults are kidnapped and have their body parts hacked off to be used in good luck charms. Recently, a group of Tanzanian albino children whose limbs were hacked off by witch doctors returned home after surgery in the U.S but the kids still fear for their safety and lives. However, the attacks on albino people continue and, according to BBC ,“witchdoctors are prepared to pay $75,000 for a complete set of albino body parts”.
Source: Daily Nation
