Mwanza. Human rights defenders have renewed calls for love, respect, and decisive action to end violence against persons with albinism, warning that belief-driven attacks remain a serious human rights concern as Tanzania heads toward the general election.
Speaking during a memorial ceremony at the Nithamini Monument in Ibisabageni, Sengerema District, Mwanza Region, activists urged the public to reject superstition-fuelled practices and embrace inclusion.
The event, jointly organised by Under The Same Sun (UTSS) and the Village of Hope (VOH), drew survivors, community members, and advocates in a united stand against discrimination.
Peter Ash, founder of UTSS, said harmful traditional beliefs continued to threaten the lives of people with albinism. “Everyone has the right to live freely and participate fully in society. Healing from trauma requires not only protection but also love and counselling,” he said.
Once the site of Tanzania’s earliest reported albinism killings, the monument now serves as a beacon of hope and remembrance for survivors and their communities.
Vicky Ntetema, a freelance journalist and former UTSS executive director, praised ongoing government efforts to enrol children with albinism in schools and improve inclusion. However, she warned that cases of violence still go unreported. “We must not remain silent when people disappear without a trace,” she said.
Names of 68 people killed, 46 survivors, and 26 exhumed graves are inscribed at the site, underscoring the human cost of belief-driven violence.
Boniface Massah, Executive Director of the African Albinism Network, described the monument as a “foundation of identity and liberty” for persons with albinism in Africa.
Alfred Kapole, Assistant Chairperson of the Tanzania Albinism Society, called for unity during the election period. “Let us preserve our nation’s peace. Every citizen, regardless of skin colour, has the right to life and dignity,” he said.
