AfricaPress-Tanzania: RUKWA Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Joachim Wangabo has ordered head teachers to thoroughly inspect students and make sure none wear superstitious armlets locally known as ‘tunguli’.
He said they must refrain from embracing superstitious beliefs, and called upon religious leaders to organise special prayers in efforts to end the practice.
Mr Wangabo said some people in the region still believe in witchcraft and encourage traditional healers locally known as ‘lambalamba’ to floursh in the area because they have extraordinary powers to cleanse and protect them.
“Some people in this region are hypocrites and double minded…you see in the morning hours, they attend prayers in Churches or Mosques and after that consult traditional healers and pay them handsomely.
“We can’t govern the region by embracing superstitious beliefs… I’m hereby directing school heads in public Secondary and Primary Schools to thoroughly search students and make sure none wears any tunguli’… We are tired of hearing cases of some schools being visited by witches…students can’t study peacefully.
“There are cases where students collapse and faint at schools, because witches trick them and this is unacceptable,” pointed out the RC.
Mr Wangabo made the remarks at Mollo Agriculture Prison during a tree planting day the region normally marks every year on January 19th.
Equally, he warned the local leaders and the general public in Sumbawanga District not to entertain ‘lambalamba’ activities, because they contribute to poverty in the area.
“Along the Lake Rukwa Rift Valley Basin there has emerged a group of liars known as lambalamba, who charge them a lot of money to cleanse witches and protect households,” he added.
Stressing, he directed Rukwa Regional Police Commander (RPC) Mr Justine Masejo, to start a special operation against the lambalamba people and take them to court.
He said any village that will be discovered entertaining lambalamba will be taken to task, adding: “I will never defend hypocrites and double minded persons, who embrace superstitious beliefs.
“It surprises me most when a faithful person attends Church service or goes to Mosque and pays 100/- only as a tithe, but digs deep to pay a lambalamba 50,000/- for a service. This is a curse before
