CASES OF CHILD RIGHTS VIOLATION IN TANZANIA RISE TO 6,300

·        As Police arrest traditional healer over the murder of a six-year-old, Rose Nguku

Dar es Salaam

WITH the murder of a six-year-old, Rose Nguku, still afresh, it has been reported that incidents of violence against children in the country increased to 6,376 last year (2018) compared to the previous year.

A new report by the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) say, in 2017, some 4,728 were reported, the LHRC executive director Ms Anna Henga, told reporters on Tuesday, May 14.

The report, titled: ‘Sexual Violence: a threat to child rights and welfare in Tanzania 2018’, was prepared in collaboration with Zanzibar Legal Service Centre (ZLSC) and other human rights bodies.

Sexual violence against children, particularly in forms of rape and sodomy, were a major human rights concern in 2018.

Further, the report shows that child rape incidents increased to 2,365 last year from 759.

Sexual violence was also mentioned as a one of the major violations of children's rights in all 20 districts of 10 regions that LHRC surveyed last year.

Meanwhile, Police in Mbeya are holding a traditional healer in connection with the death of a six-year-old, Rose Nguku, days after the girl’s father was arrested while attempting to sell the body of the child.

The young Rose who lived at Igulusi area, Mbarali town, was hanged to death before the killers chopped off her body parts including the left foot and hand for, what many believes, withcraft purposes.

Mbeya regional police boss, Ulric Matei, named the source of killing to be ambition for quick wealth where the father was willing to sell his daughter to a businessman who would subsequently bring the latter’s body parts to a traditional healer who would turn the businessman richer.

The arrest bring the number of arrested suspects to four including father who is alleged to have tried to sell his daughter for Sh5 million of the daughter to a businessman and owner of a secondary school in Mbalizi town.

“This is the traditional healer to whom Rose’s body parts were supposed to be taken to,” said Commander Matei.

The body of Rose was found dead at forest reserve in Chimala area.