Rais Jakaya Kikwete, amewaaga watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi (Albino) kwa kuwahakikishia kupatiwa vifaa vya kupambana na kansa ya ngozi bure kwenye hospitali za serikali.
Akizungumza jana katika maadhimisho ya siku ya albino, ambayo kitaifa imefanyika jijini Arusha, Kikwete alisema katika hatua ya sasa serikali inatarajia kwenye bajeti mpya kutenga fedha za kununua vifaa hivyo haraka.
Alisema watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi wana uhitaji mwingi na serikali inalitambua hilo, hivyo wapo pamoja katika kushirikiana nao ili kilio chao dhidi ya wanaowafanyia ukatili watahakikisha wanachukuliwa hatua stahiki.
"Katika kuanza, mbali na kutenga fedha za kununua vifaa vya kukabiliana na kansa ya ngozi, serikali tumepambana na wahusika wanaotenda ukatili dhidi ya albino, ambapo mwaka 2006/2010 watu 139 wamekamatwa, kati yao watu 35 wamefikishwa mahakamani na watu 25 zimekamilika,"alisema.
Alisema kati ya kesi hizo, watu 13 wamehukumiwa kunyongwa hadi kufa na 79 wameachiwa huru kwa kutokutwa na makosa, huku wawili wakipewa adhabu mbalimbali.
Kikwete alisisitiza kuwa kati ya watu 13 waliohukumiwa kunyongwa wawili kesi zao zipo katika hatua ya mwisho kufikishwa kwake na kuahidi zitakapofika mezani kwake atazitendea haki stahili.
"Lakini mwaka 2014 hadi 2015 serikali tumepambana na watu wakatili dhidi ya walemavu kwa kuwakamata watu 25 kati yao sita kesi zao zipo mahakamani, huku watano upelelezi unaendelea na 11 wameachiwa huru kwa kutopatikana na hatia," alisema.
Aliwataka walemavu hao kutokuwa na mashaka na serikali, kwani hatua ya kunyongwa mtu ina safari ndefu na lazima taratibu zifuatwe.
Alisema serikali imewakamata wanunuzi wa viungo vya albino na waganga wa jadi 164 kati yao, 123 wamefikishwa mahakamani na wanne wamepigwa marufuku kuendelea na shughuli za uganga, huku 37 wakiachiwa huru.
"Wizara ya afya tumeiagiza kufanya uhakiki wa mara kwa mara wa waganga wa jadi na atakayekutwa na makosa afutiwe kibali cha kutoa tiba mara moja, ili kuondoa aibu ya mauaji ya kundi hili," alisema.
Aliagiza viongozi wa dini wa makanisani na msikitini, kushirikiana na serikali kukemea waumini wao wanaofanya unyama huo.
Hata hivyo, alimtaka Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi, Mathias Chikawe, kuelezea hadhara hiyo juu ya hatima ya kuundwa kwa kamati maalum ya kitaifa ya kushughulikia watu wenye ulamavu wa ngozi.
"Hebu mheshimiwa njoo ueleze mbele ya hadhara ya watu hawa ndio wapiga kura wako hao, wakusikie na tena nadhani utaendeleza haya ninayoyaacha kwa kutimiza yote wanayotaka albino ukizingatia umechukua fomu," alisema huku umati wa watu ukiangua kicheko.
Chikawe alisema kuwa kazi hiyo tayari imekamilika na tayari wameteua watu watano wa kundi la albino, serikalini watano na waganga wa jadi watano ili kuunda kamati hiyo.
Naye Mhadhiri wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dodoma, Dk. Abdallah Posi, akisoma risala ya watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi, alisema watu hao wanakabiliwa na changamoto kubwa ya mauaji na kukatwa viungo vyao na watu wenye imani potofu.
Alisema mpaka sasa watu 76 wenye ulemavu wa ngozi wamefariki na wengine kupoteza viungo vyao, huku baadhi yao wakiishi kwa woga juu ya maisha yao na hasa wanafunzi wanaoishi vijijini.
Kwa upande wake Naibu Waziri wa Afya, Dk. Steven Kebwe, alisema kwa hali ilivyo sasa suala la ulinzi kwa albino ni la kila mtu ili waweze kuishi salama.
Alisema serikali imetenga shilingi bilioni mbili katika ya bajeti yake mwaka huu, ili ikarabati maeneo yote ya makundi ya walemavu yawe salama kwa kuwa na makazi mazuri.
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The government will soon start providing free cancer treatments for people with albinism (PwA) in public health facilities across the country.
President Jakaya Kikwete made the pledge here yesterday when speaking at the climax of the International Albinism Awareness Day, which at national level was held at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium.
Kikwete said that in the 2015/16 fiscal year, the government has allocated large amount of money in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, whereby a certain amount will be allocated to buying treatment facilities for PwA.
"As government, we are aware of challenges facing PwA including lack of proper medication such as skin cancer treatments.
That's why I have directed responsible authorities to ensure that all necessary treatment facilities for PwA are made available," he said.
The President also urged clerics across the country to seriously take part in the fight against barbaric killings of PwA, saying: "The International Albinism Awareness Day was proclaimed by UN as a response to the albino killings happening in Tanzania…so this has tarnished our image to the international community."
"That's why it is important for everyone to seriously take part in this fight against these barbaric killings."
He further said that for the past eight years Tanzania has achieved a lot in curbing albino killings, saying in 2008 killings of people with albinism were high, but between 2011 and 2013 the killings were almost zero.
"But, last year and early this year, six albinos were killed by unknown people in witchcraft believes…these killings have made PwA to live in fear across the country…this is absolutely unacceptable," he said.
He added that between 2006 and 2010 about 139 people were arrested, whereby 35 people brought to court and 25 cases have been completed and 13 have been sentenced to death, while 79 were acquitted for lack of evidence.
President Kikwete also said 164 traditional healers have been arrested since 2006, and appeared in court of which 37 were released, while others were banned from engaging in such business.
"All this shows how we are serious in addressing the vicious killings of people with albinism."
A representative of PwA, who is also a lecturer at the University of Dodoma Dr Abdallah Posi, said PwA live in fear all the time calling the government and other players to work on practical measures that would make albinos live in peace as other people do.
Health and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Dr Kebwe Steven Kebwe said: "It is the responsibilities of everyone to ensure that people with albinism are protected in our localities, because killers are from the community."
Dr Kebwe urged district and regional medical officers to ensure they get enough stocks of drugs for PwA from the Medical Store Department (MSD).
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP representative in Tanzania Alvaro Rodrigue said that his organisation will continue working with government and members of the community to strengthen the capacity of the national human protection system including civil society, commission for human rights and good governance.
He said: "We are also working with media and judiciary so that we can be in a better position to take effective steps to ensure the protection of human rights is observed."
The UN boss in Tanzania also said: "UN is working closely particularly on crimes against persons with albinism with both the public prosecutor's office as well as institutions such as CHRAGG to ensure that they are able to support the government as it works on ensuring justice for victims of attacks because of albinism."
"We in the UN as well as all member states including Tanzania are committed to the observance, respect and promotion of normative frameworks, and we are guided by the purposes, principles and provisions of the charter of the UN and Universal Declaration of Human Rights," he observed.
