Belief on Witchcraft and Killing of People with Albinism in Lack Victoria Zone, Tanzania

Killing of people with albinism and old people has been featuring in Tanzania mass media and worldwide. The main cause of killing old people and people with albinism is witchcraft beliefs. Old women are reported to be killing grand children; whereas people with albinism were believed their part of the body when added with other potent traditional remedies brings fortune and prosperous. Witchcraft cannot be denied in indigenous African communities; however there might be other factors unexplored that lead to killing old people and people with albinism. The aim of this paper is to explore other factors that contribute to killing old people and people with albinism.

Methodology: The study was carried in Lake Victoria zone, Tanzania using qualitative research methods. The main focus were to explore factors that lead to killing old people and people with albinism in addition to current belief of witchcraft. The collected information were analyzed using qualitatively techniques

Results: The findings have shown any health problems including death need explanations that were sought through ramli. The ramli showed old people especially old women were noted to be killing grand children by witchcraft means. Other factors like wealth acquisition, jealous, misunderstanding in the day to day activities were also repotted. Whereas killing of people with albinism were due to the belief of that part of their body when added with potent traditional remedies brought fortune and prosperous to one requested. In addition it was noted that people with albinism were seen as bad omen or curse and were not wanted to leave.

Lack of education on causes of health problems and people with albinism seemed to contribute to this problem. Public health education on causes of health problem and lack melanin to people with albinism which is important for skin pigmentation is needed.