KENYAN ALBINOS NOW WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE THEM WITH POLICE SECURITY BODYGUARDS AGAINST POSSIBLE KIDNAPPINGS BY WITCHDOCTORS AGENTS.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Fishermen believe that their fishing nets, weaved with concoction of hairs from the heads of people with albinism could  help them make more catches.

Gold miners in the villages believe that if they mix their hair with some albino body parts, and form a magic amulet that the bury in the ground where they are digging, they will harvest more gold or other precious mineral stones of high value.

And now Kenyan  people with albinism have expressed fears that cases of abductions against them  are high and likely to increase if the government does not beef up security to check on their possible potential abductors.

Tanzanian albinos who fled their country early this year, and took refugee in Kenya’s coastal towns of Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale and Malindi are reported to have gone underground, and to be in hiding most of the time, and cannot be free to go about their daily businesses for fear of possible abduction.

And last week, the chairman of the Nyanza Albinism Society of  Kenya, and Persons with Disability, Mr Julius Rasugu was quoted by the SUNDAY EXPRESS  as having asked the government to provide the albinos people with bodyguards to keep off people with criminal intent to abduct and murder them for body parts.
“We are a minority community. Nnot only do we suffer massive prejudice, but we struggle to get jobs and our kids also need bodyguards to get to and from school safely”, Rasugu said.

He explained that the Tanzanian courts have been imposing death sentences on those found guilty of killing Albinos, but Albinos who fled from that country and crossed into Kenya, as well as those who are Kenya citizens, still live  in fear because there are people who still believe in witchcrafts, and who think that the limbs of an albino could make them wealthy.

Rasugu regretted that a number of fishermen in both Kenya and Tanzania believed that weaving the red hair from an albino into their fishing nets, will attract a heavy catch, because of the golden glimmer.”

He added., “Gold Miners in several countries in this region believe that if they mix our hair with some albino body parts, they will form a magic amulet that they will bury in the ground they are digging to harvest more gold”.

He claimed that many of them have in the recent past been abducted and brutally murdered in a Tanzania and their body organs taken for rituals.

Mr Rasugu, who is a primary school teacher, said the Albinos are entitled to government security and their freedom guaranteed as proper human rights.

In Burundi, he said over 12 albinos have so far lost their lives, while over 40 of them have bee killed in Tanzania since mid 2007, by people who use their body parts, including hair, limbs and genitals for witchcraft.

“It is painful that even our graves, when we die will be plundered and our decomposing bodies exhumed for a merciless dirty trade. If we stop the malicious beliefs, then we can as well stop the murders,” Rasugu said.

Mr  Rasugu said the government needs to assure the Albinos of their security and give them a chance to serve in the public service, saying some of them are highly qualified people, but only either denied a chance because of discrimination or fear for their personal safety.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com