POLITICIANS have been accused of the killings of people with albinism and using the body parts in witchcraft rituals so they can win elections. Legislator Kasuku Bilango (Buyungu-Chadema), made the accusations yesterday during a one-day seminar on how Members of Parliament (MPs) can bridge equality with people living with disabilities in the country, stressing that during elections people with albinism live in fear of getting killed, while after the elections the killings stop.
“Politicians kill the albino, but after
elections they live in peace because there are no more killings … why is
it that the government does not kill these murderers? Many of who have
been arrested,” Bilango wondered.
The Deputy Minister of State in the
Prime Minister’s Office (PMOs) Policy, Parliament, Labour, Youth and the
Disable, Dr Abdallah Possi, said public education is the key to
changing public perception on the albino and the myths about their body
parts.
He said in the last general elections,
killings of people with albinism was not as high as it has been recorded
in previous elections, stressing that passing a hanging sentence to the
culprits is not the solution but education is.
“It is our responsibility to provide
public education to change public perception … legislators must educate
the public in your constituencies so you can change the perception and
traditional understanding of the albinos … Since the national assembly
begun, none of you has ever asked me any questions with regard to
disability, only legislators who are living with disabilities ask me
questions,” he stated.
Legislator Kangi Lugola (Mwibara –CCM)
said the Parliament must have in place an environment conductive to
people living with disability, noting that they are unable to climb to
administrative office, with Nagenjwa Kaboyoga (Same East – Chadema)
wondering why the parliament does not employ people living with
disabilities.
Legislator Susan Lyimo (Special Seats -
Chadema) advised the parliament to put in place an elevator to assist
those living with disabilities access the parliament’s administrative
block.
Together with other legislators, Ms
Lyimo blamed the government for having a policy and law that addresses
issues of people living with disability in the country, including
ensuring proper infrastructures in all institutions in the country.
Philipo Mulugo (Songwe - CCM) on the
other hand wanted the government to have special desks and prioritize
employment of people living with disabilities in the country, citing an
example of disabled teachers who have not received employment for more
than six years now.
Mulugo also wanted the Dar es Salaam
Regional Commissioner, Paul Makonda to expound on his directives to
remove people with disabilities who are begging in the city’s streets,
saying “What is the problem when someone passes by in a vehicle and
hands out a 10,000/- to the beggars?”
Deputy Minister Possi said he does not
support disabled people to be beggars in the streets, and supports RC
Makonda’s move to remove them from the streets, but stressed on building
of proper systems that will enable them to be self reliant
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