Tanzania’s albino lawmaker attracts world attention
Kizito Makoye (Dar es Salaam) – Salum Khalfan Bar’wani- a 51-year-old family man from a remote township of Lindi; on the shores of Indian Ocean, southeast of Tanzania is probably rubbing hands with glee as an emerged world star following his astounding victory to Tanzania’s parliament.
What made him a shining star is simply, he is an albino. Albinism is a genetic condition that causes loss of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes, phenomenon mostly affecting people of African descent.
Bar’wani’s victory has come at the right time when Tanzania grapples to suppress the tide of vicious killings of innocent albinos; due to a widespread belief that charms made from their body parts bring good fortune.
There is one thing certain in life; we will all die,you will die and I will die, but the surging quest for gruesome albino body parts in Africa makes most of them particularly vulnerable because someone with a machete is hunting them.
As the country’s first- ever- elected albino lawmaker Bar’wani is expressing hope that his being elected was a breakthrough for all albinos in Tanzania and Africa at large.
Speaking on a telephone interview from his Lindi constituency, Bar’wani, who defeated an incumbent lawmaker winning his parliamentary seat by a margin of over 2000 votes, vowed to work diligently to defend fellow albinos.
People here say that albinos do not work, cannot do anything,” he said. “I tell them that albinos are people, there is no difference, we are the same and we can do anything that others can do.” He said.
“ I know very well the plight of albinos in this country , I promise to stand against all sorts of prejudice toward albinos” Barwani said.
Mr. Bar’wani whose wife and children are not albinos said “the people have bestowed trust in me, it is therefore my duty to bring development to my constituency.”
Speaking eloquently, without mincing words, Bar’wani expressed sorrow on the wave of albino killings. “I am deeply troubled by these despicable and barbaric acts, I will not rest until this evil goes away”
The lawmaker will certainly face daunting challenges in his desperate bid to restore the image of Tanzania which has become notorious for ritual killings of albinos.
Scores of albinos have been murdered so that witchdoctors can use their skin and body parts to make potions they claim bring wealth and good fortune.
There is not even a word for albino in the local Kiswahili language, instead they are called “zeruzeru,” which means ghost.
“This is my opportunity to let voices of fellow albinos be heard” Bar’wani said adding that “I believe my victory symbolizes a change in attitude against people with disability.”
“There is no doubt I will use my legislative power to defend and fight for the rights and safety of people with albinism,” he said.
Bar’wani observed that as a lawmaker he would make sure that he stands for policies and laws in favour of people with disability so that the government can address their problems.
Apart from the less privileged, Barwani’s major focus will be to serve the people of Lindi who trust his ability. “I will work with other leaders to tackle people’s problems irrespective of their political affiliation,” said Mr. Bar’wani, who ventured into business soon after completing his secondary education in 1979.
From his humble beginnings he plunged himself into politics 18 years ago at the time when Tanzania adopted the –so-called multi-party democracy.
“ The introduction of plural politics was like a stepping stone for me, because earlier on I could not stand on things I believe in because the ruling party operated like a club for dictators who did not care much for the disabled,” he asserted.
Despite all odds, considering his poor financial background, he managed to defect to a new political party NCCR- Mageuzi. He could hardly withstand political turbulence whose tide made him pounce to TLP party and later he jumped to Civic United Front party. Leadership wrangles were the main reason for his subsequent defections.
Mr. Bar’wani said his dream is to see Lindi town revert to its old glory. “Not long ago Lindi used to be known as Paris of Africa, it was supplying food to many neighbouring regions ,but because of poor leadership the town is now grounded to almost a standstill. We will work together to claim back what we used to have through hardwork.”
Bar’wani’s political journey was not without hurdles; during the campaign some of his opponents claimed that as an albino he was mentally deficient or that the sunlight made him unable to think.
“My opponents ridiculed me and residents here were infuriated by that. They claimed that albinos lack vitamin C and therefore cannot think properly. They told supporters not to choose an albino for this or that reason,” he recalled, adding that such insults had strengthened his resolve to address problems facing albinos in the country.
In his counter verbal attack, Barwani simply said people harbouring such attitudes were no different from those who killed albinos for superstitious reasons.
People suffering from albinism are discriminated against and persecuted in many African countries. In extreme cases , they are hunted , killed and dismembered due to a wide spread superstitious belief that their body parts can bring fortunes and prosperity.
Mwanza city, in Northern part of the country has been particularly notorious for albino killings and once the country’s prime minister wept uncontrollably while campaigning in the region against the brutality. The government has waged a war against an underground syndicate of albino body parts dealers and captured several suspects, some of whom have been sentenced to death by courts after they were convicted of taking part in albino murders.
In August this year a Kenyan was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for trying to sell for millions his albino friend to police detectives in Mwanza who posed as rich clients for the obnoxious trade in human parts.
According to Albino Association of Tanzania about 4000 albinos are officially registered in the country even though their number is believed to be a high as 173,000. Albinism affects one in 20,000 people in North America.
Kizito Makoye is a seasoned journalist based in Dar es Salaam
