Tragic Death of Dayana Hugo Sparks Concerns Over Twin-Related Killings in Tanzania
By JAMES KAMALA
The tragic case of Dominic Mushi, the Executive Officer of the Local Government in Gongola Mboto, on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, has reignited concerns over the mysterious killings involving twins in Tanzania. Mushi has been accused of killing his wife, Dayana Hugo (38), who was a twin, under horrifying circumstances.
According to Acting Police Commander for the Dar es Salaam Special Zone, Foka Dinya, Mushi is currently in police custody at Amana Regional Referral Hospital, where he is receiving treatment after attempting suicide by poisoning. It is alleged that Mushi ingested a mixture of pills and K-Vant alcohol in an attempt to take his own life after the tragic event.
“We arrived at the scene and found the suspect in critical condition. He was rushed to Amana Regional Referral Hospital under police custody and will be taken to court once he recovers,” Commander Dinya stated. He added that further investigations and witness testimonies would help determine whether the murder was premeditated and what are is the exactly motive behind it.
This shocking case has highlighted a disturbing pattern of twin killings in Tanzania, raising serious concerns about societal and familial pressures that may be contributing to these incidents. Dayana’s father, Damian Hugo, expressed his profound grief as he recalled the events leading to the discovery of his daughter’s death. After she failed to attend church on Monday, her mother called, only to have her phone answered by Mushi, who chillingly informed her that Dayana had been dead for three days. The family sent Dayana’s twin brother, David Hugo, to investigate, and he found her body, with Mushi lying next to it, foaming at the mouth.
Additional details from the deceased’s family suggest that the couple, who had one child, had relocated to Dar es Salaam from the Kagera region, a region known for its deadly traditional beliefs surrounding twins. Twins in Kagera are often seen as bearers of bad luck, leading to many harmful actions against them. The reason for the couple’s move from Kagera, where twins are feared and stigmatized, to Dar es Salaam, considered a safer haven, is still unclear. In some parts of Africa, including Kagera, taboos view twins as cursed individuals responsible for misfortunes in society.
This tragic incident is the second twin-related tragedy in Dar es Salaam this month. Police are currently investigating the mysterious deaths of twin children in the Tegeta area earlier in October. Dar es Salaam Zonal Police Commander (ZPC) Jumanne Murilo confirmed that investigations were ongoing, in collaboration with the Chief Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (CGCLA). The incident has left a mother, Ms. Mwajuma Amani, devastated and searching for answers after her twin children suddenly fell unconscious after eating porridge and later died.
“I woke them up well, fed them porridge, and then found them fainting, helplessly losing consciousness. I’m perplexed and don’t know what exactly happened to my twins,” Ms. Amani said in a viral video shared on YouTube.
Despite Dar es Salaam’s reputation as a multicultural and relatively safe city, the recent string of twin-related incidents has raised alarm. Dayana’s father, Mr. Hugo, expressed regret over allowing his daughter to marry a man whose beliefs he knew little about. “We met in Dar es Salaam when he courted my daughter, and they proceeded with marriage plans. The mistake was that I never delved deeply into his family or their belief systems before accepting the dowry,” Mr. Hugo lamented.
Dayana and her twin brother were Mr. Hugo’s firstborn children, who held a special place in their family. The family, now mourning Dayana’s loss, is preparing to bury her in Rombo district, Kilimanjaro region, while also taking care of her one-year-old child, who has been left behind.
This tragedy has brought renewed attention to the troubling pattern of violence involving twins in Tanzania, sparking calls from activists to safeguard twins from mistreatment and violent cultural practices. Authorities are continuing their investigations, but the incident underscores the urgent need for community intervention to address the root causes of this violence, as many feel these issues remain insufficiently addressed.
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