Four people have been sentenced to death in Tanzania after brutally murdering a young albino woman in order to harvest her body parts as good luck charms . Zawadi Mangidu , 22 , was killed in north-western town of Geita by a group that included her husband , who is among those due to be executed . There is no guarantee the death penalties will ever actually be carried out , however , as the east African nation has had a moratorium on executions for the past 21 years . The conviction comes just days after Tanzania 's President Jakaya Kikwete promised to end a wave of killings of albinos , saying the witchcraft-related murders are shaming Tanzania . Innocent victims : More than 40 albinos have been killed in Tanzania since 2007 - but the government insists it is taking action to end the murders . Activists say attackers have killed at least 75 albinos in Tanzania since 2000 to use their body parts in rituals . 'We will not allow things to escalate as they did in previous years , ' Kikwete said in a national address on Monday . ' I believe that with close cooperation between the government and society , we will succeed in ending these killings of persons with albinism and rid our nation of this shame . ' There are about 200,000 albinos in Tanzania , most of them easily recognisable as they lack pigment in their skin , eyes and hair . Witch doctors often tell clients that albino body parts will bring them luck in love , life and business . Similar beliefs exist in other African societies , but activists say attacks on albinos are particularly prevalent in Tanzania , where one in every 1,400 people is affected , compared with one in 20,000 in the Western world . Activists say attackers have killed at least 75 albinos in Tanzania since 2000 to use their body parts in rituals . At least 50 people died and dozens were hurt in heavy rains and floods in Tanzania 's northwest , a senior official said Wednesday . Torrential rains , hail and high winds hit Kahama district in Shinyanga region late on Tuesday , injuring at least 82 people . 'At least 50 people are now confirmed dead , ' Shinyanga 's regional commissioner , Ally Rufunga said . 'More bodies of victims believed to have been swept by floods were found in the area and others died in hospital while receiving treatment , ' he said , updating a previous death toll of 38 . A statement from the office of President Jakaya Kikwete expressed his 'shock and extreme grief ' at the disaster . Officials said an estimated 3,500 people in the region , a poor farming area south of Lake Victoria and near the Serengeti game reserve , had been affected by the flooding . 'It is a false belief that if someone has the body part of a person with albinism , this will bring success in business , fishing and mining activities . This is what has been fuelling this ongoing evil , ' Kikwete said . Tanzanian police on Monday banned a planned demonstration by the Tanzania Albinism Society in the country 's commercial capital , Dar es Salaam , citing security reasons . But Kikwete said he had agreed to meet albino leaders next week to discuss possible solutions to the killings . Kikwete said more than 40 albinos have been killed since 2007 but insisted that his government was taking action to end the murders . He did give details on how the government would stop the killings . The murders have been concentrated in gold-rich regions and fishing communities surrounding the country 's Lake Victoria area where superstitious beliefs are rampant . Activists say most attacks are not reported to the police .
Zawadi Mangidu , meanwhile , was killed by a gang in north - western town of Geita . Her husband was among the group who carried out the savage killings . Group kidnapped Mrs Mangidu so they could sell her body parts as jewellery . All four now face execution as Tanzania cracks down on albino murders . 75 people suffering from albinism have been brutally murdered in the east African nation over the past 20 years .