Busia Sex Workers Explain How Uhuru's Project has Affected Them

Commercial sex workers in Busia have faulted President Uhuru Kenyatta's one-stop border for low returns in their trade.

According to the Busia Survivors programmes manager Caroline Kemunto and other sex workers, most of the agents who worked in Clearing and Forwarding companies in Busia Kenya have crossed over to Uganda. 

"Most of our clients have disappeared to Uganda because services there are too cheap especially at Nalongo and this has affected us seriously," stated Kemunto.

[caption caption="File image of Busia Survivors programmes manager Caroline Kemunto and other sex workers address the media."][/caption]

Speaking at the Busia County Referral Hospital where they had gone for a clean-up exercise to mark the International Sex Workers Rights Day, Caroline noted that their clients have crossed over to Uganda on claims that it has better opportunities. 

Ms Kemunto emphasized that they are undergoing difficult times since the launch of the project. 

She also asked the government not to criminalize commercial sex since some people depend on it to feed their families and educate children. 

According to reports, there are more than 3,000 commercial sex workers in Busia and over 1,000 homosexuals.

Kemunto was also quick to refute the perception that those sex workers who are under Busia survivors were all HIV positive.

"Some are negative and we always encourage them to protect themselves when they get a client," exclaimed Kemunto.

Previous data has shown that Busia and Malaba register high numbers of sex workers due to long-distance truck drivers. 

President Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, last Saturday launched the Busia one-stop border post to enhance efficiency at the Kenya-Uganda border.

The border post combines the traditional two stops for border processing into one.

[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni during the launch of the one-stop border post."][/caption]

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