Ghost terrorizes east African islands

A specter is haunting the voters of Zanzibar. It's a numinous figure that attacks sleeping people on those Indian Ocean islands:

The ghost or genie goes by the name of Popo Bawa and people believe that it sodomises its victims, most of whom are men.

The timing is curious, as Popo Bawa seems to be electorally motivated:

In recent years the residents on the semi-autonomous Tanzanian islands claimed that Popo Bawa only visited the islanders during voting, such as in the contentious general elections in 1995 and 2000.

Until now:

But to the surprise of many this current ghost has reappeared when there is no polling of any kind.

Which begs the question: why now?  

(link via Mike Sellers; photo via Kristaps B.)