The Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Program (BHESP) has come out of the shadows with incredible claims of the alleged loss of Ksh 50 Million by commercial sex workers in two days.
BHSEP refers to the government's directive, that forced people out of the streets and into their homes on the nights of the August 24, and 25 to be counted, as of great consequence to their members.
The program's CEO Penina Mwangi on Wednesday faulted the decision by Interior CS Fred Matiang' i for declaring a sort-of 'curfew' on census night, which deprived bars and lodgings of clients that are a major source of income for sex workers.
Saturday, she said, was supposed to be a good day for them, and coupled with the fact that it was the end of the month, the commercial sex workers and owners of bars and lodgings were headed for a windfall, but CS Matiang' i spoiled the show for all of them.
The CEO told the Nairobian that there are over 20,000 registered sex workers aged between 18 and 35 years who are based in Nairobi alone, with each taking home around Ksh10,000 on a good night.
She revealed that come next week, many of the commercial sex workers in the city would be in a bad place in terms of meeting the financial needs of their children who will be going back to school.
"It is sad because they are taking their children back to school next week. Maybe it could have favored them had it been conducted earlier or later. This has been quite a blow and the girls will have to hustle extra hard until the end of September," she is quoted.
Many hotels and lodging closed as early as 5 pm during the two days in compliance with the order from the no-nonsense CS.
Prostitution is an illegal activity in Kenya. Even though it is not fully criminalized by law, there are several by-laws which forbid it.
The Penal Code Article 153 (1) criminalizes aspects of prostitution, stating: “Every male person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution or in any public place persistently solicits or importunes for immoral purposes, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”
Section 2 further adds: “Every woman who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution, or who is proved to have, for the purpose of gain, exercised control, direction or influence over the movements of a prostitute in such a manner as to show that she is aiding, abetting or compelling her prostitution with any person, or generally, is guilty of a felony.”
In December 2017, the Nairobi County Government decriminalized all forms of prostitution, and since then the city council has conducted swoops, arresting commercial sex workers and charging them with a misdemeanor.
