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| The chilling news has sent waves of outrage and disbelief through the tight-knit community. Photo: Courtesy By Adonis Byemelwa |
Shinyanga: In a heart-wrenching development, an 11-year-old boy from Jitegemee Primary School in Maganzo Village, Kishapu District, Shinyanga Region, has reportedly been sexually assaulted by a 28-year-old man.
The chilling news has sent waves of outrage and disbelief through the tight-knit community, sparking a desperate call for justice and heightened vigilance to protect the most vulnerable among them.
The boy’s father, Mr. Idd James, spoke to The Respondent online, explaining that his son was herding cattle on Sunday, August 25th, when the incident occurred. According to Mr. James, the boy encountered the suspect while herding, and the man accused the child of allowing his cattle to damage trees at the man's home. The suspect then allegedly grabbed the boy's hand and forced him to follow him to his house.
Once there, the father and child recounted, the boy was coerced into undressing after being threatened with a knife. The suspect then committed the sexual assault. Following the ordeal, the boy returned home and informed his father about what had happened.
“My son is in Standard Four at Jitegemee Primary School. He is 11 years old. There is a routine for herding cattle on non-school days like Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday, he was herding cattle when this happened.
A young man, around 28 years old, who works at the Maganzo bus stand, accused him of grazing near their trees. The man then grabbed him, took him to his house, and threatened him with a knife before committing the crime,” Mr. James recounted.
Mr. James acted quickly, taking his son to Maganzo Dispensary for medical examination and treatment, where the attending physician was Dr. Sam Philip. The father also reported the incident to Maganzo Police Station, prompting the police to launch a manhunt for the suspect, who fled after the assault.
Bulumbaga Sub-Village Chairman, Mr. Nshishi Jagadi, confirmed receiving the report and called on the community to cooperate with the police to apprehend the suspect. “I urge the residents to work together with the police to ensure this criminal is captured and that such incidents do not happen again in our community,” Chairman Jagadi stated.
Maganzo Village Chairman, Mr. Charles Manyenye, added that parents need to be more vigilant when their children go herding, emphasizing the importance of children moving in groups to avoid such dangers.
“The child’s guardian called me with details of the incident. I am deeply disturbed by this act. I urge parents to ensure that children do not go herding alone; they should be in pairs or groups because these acts are becoming too common. The community must take precautions,” said Mr. Manyenye.
James Onyango Meshack, the Secretary of the Shujaa wa Maendeleo na Ustawi wa Jamii Tanzania (SMAUJATA) organization in Kishapu District, visited the victim’s family, assuring them that strict action would be taken against the suspect. He also encouraged the parents to be close to their son to help him cope with the emotional distress caused by the incident.
Residents of Maganzo Village have urged the police to intensify efforts to capture the suspect so that legal actions can be pursued. In the ongoing fight against child abuse, the Maganzo community has been called upon to cooperate and ensure they report any incidents threatening the safety of their children promptly.