Mukono, Uganda
It has been reported that a group of sex workers in Mukono Central Division, Mukono Municipality, have changed their usual work locations to attract more clients.
This shift is seen as a response to the declining number of customers in their previous areas of operation.
One of the coordinators at Anthony (Wantoni) Trading Centre, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that their earnings had significantly dropped.
She explained that fewer clients were visiting their usual hubs at Anthony Trading Centre, leading to a decrease in their daily income.
“Men fear to be seen crossing to our centres since they are located on the main road, my girls requested to allow them to try their chances in far places promising to report back after work,” the coordinator noted.
Most sex workers in Mukono are organised into various groups, each coordinated by different individuals.
These coordinators often recruit workers from districts like Mbale and from neighbouring countries such as Kenya and Rwanda.
To ensure profitability, the coordinators provide the sex workers with rooms and restrict them from leaving with clients to other locations.
Men seeking services are required to pay Ugx15,000 to enter these rooms, in addition to the fee agreed upon with the service provider.
In the evenings, sex workers can be seen lining up along the Kampala-Jinja highway in front of their shelters, dressed in revealing clothes to attract clients.
Many are often spotted negotiating for better prices at locations like the Pepsi stretch and across from St. Paul Church.
Recently, sex workers in Mukono have begun expanding their activities into nearby areas such as the Hareed Petrol corridor, Nakawolore Road, Kikooza stretch, and Bugerere Road.
According to their coordinator, in these new areas, they have been advised to dress more modestly instead of wearing skimpy outfits to reduce the risk of potential dangers.
Additionally, it has been learned that their coordinators have permitted them to visit nearby bars as long as they can persuade clients to return to their residential lodges.
In the past, sex workers were restricted to bars owned by their bosses to avoid risks in distant locations. If a client wanted to take them to a lodge of their choice, they were required to leave their national ID behind.
Ritah Munene, the Chairperson for Sex Workers in Greater Mukono, explained that these restrictions are meant to ensure the safety of the sex workers.
Munene further highlighted several dangers that sex workers face, particularly when operating in unfamiliar or distant locations.
She noted that there are instances where clients exploit these workers, either by refusing to pay for services or, in more severe cases, committing acts of violence, including murder, in remote lodges.
Additionally, she emphasised that many physical altercations arise from disputes over payment and clients’ refusal to use condoms, which further endangers the workers’ safety.
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