Salum Barwany
Salum Khalfan Barwany or Salum Khalfani Bar'wani (born 30 June 1959) is a Tanzanian CUF politician and Member of Parliament for Lindi Town constituency since 2010.[1] He is the first Tanzanian MP with albinism to be elected to parliament.[2]
Salum Barwany | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Lindi Town | |
| Assumed office November 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Abdulaziz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 June 1959 Tanganyika |
| Nationality | Tanzanian |
| Political party | CUF |
He was elected to the National Assembly of Tanzania (Swahili: Bunge la Tanzania) on 2 November 2010 from the district of Lindi Urban in the far south-east, and is the first albino to be elected to the Bunge in the country's history[3][4] (the first to sit in the legislature was a woman, Al-Shymaa Kway-Geer, who appointed to the Bunge by the President, two years earlier).[3]
Upon his election, Bar'wani stated:[3]
"I am so touched that this is the first time in the electoral history of this country for an albino to be elected by the people in a popular contest to be their representative in parliament – and not through sympathy votes or decisions."
Tanzania is a country noted both for a high incidence of albinism, and persecution of people with albinism, especially by a cult of witchdoctors with considerable influence and power in rural areas.
References
- "Member of Parliament CV". Parliament of Tanzania. 2010. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- Albinism in Tanzania, IB Times.
- "Tanzanians elect first albino to parliament". BBC News. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- "Tanzania Elects First Albino MP". The World Post. The Huffington Post and Berggruen Institute. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2015.