Attacks on people like me happen every time my country has an election
8 minutes ago Share Save Alfred Lasteck BBC Africa, Northern Tanzania Share Save
BBC
Fresh trauma arrives with every election season in Tanzania for 42-year-old Mariam Staford. For most, the fiesta-like rallies and songs, along with the campaign messages, signal a chance for people to make their voice heard. But for those with albinism, they bring terror. Warning: This article contains details of graphic violence that some people may find upsetting "The first thing that comes to me is fear," Mariam tells the BBC as people prepare to vote for a president and parliament on Wednesday. "I know that killings of people with albinism happen especially at election time in Tanzania, when witchcraft beliefs intensify. That's why I don't take part in campaigns… I am so afraid." Albinism, which affects an estimated 30,000 people in Tanzania, is a rare genetic condition that reduces melanin - the pigment that gives colour to skin, eyes and hair.
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