By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Eunice Adhiambo is the advocacy coordinator at Busia Survivors. This is an organization based in Busia which advocates for the rights of sex workers in the County.
She reveals how the 7 pm-4 am curfew really affected them economically. She says it’s during this time she makes money.
For fear of being arrested most of their members can no longer go on with their business as usual adding since their business thrives at night.
“The sex workers community has suffered a lot during this 7 pm -4 am curfew this is the time we get our clients and this is the time we are required to be in our houses failure to do so you are arrested by the police. How are we going to look after our families in this kind of working environment?” she paused.
As a result of limited income, Adhiambo says some of their members are forced to pair up to be able to rent a room in turns daytime in their respective spots to carry out their business but due to job scarcity some of their members are unable to meet their bills resulting in others being evicted from their rented houses.
“This has been a challenge to us. Most of us are parents and we are unable to feed our families. Some of our members are now into drugs for those on ARV drugs forget taking the drugs which are putting their lives at risk,” she says.
Talking to the press after a meeting that brought together Busia-based Journalists during the science cafe’ organized by The Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture – MESHA in Busia.
Adhiambo said that to address the problem, they have engaged counselors to talk to their members on how they can live without necessarily engaging in drugs and drinking during this tough time.
“Besides engaging the counselors we have brought on board donors to empower some of our members who are willing to start up their business to supplement what they earn from sex work” she said.
The effect of covid-19 has been felt by almost every sector in society. Companies and organizations retrenched some of their employees to cope up with the reality of covid-19.
As part of the measures the government came up with a plan on how to combat the spread of covid-19, the ministry of health and security was introducing stringent measures in the country to be able to curb the spread, and one of the measures was the introduction of curfew countrywide between 7 pm to 4 am depending on the areas that are seriously affected.
For the last two months, 13 counties from the lake region were put under the 7 pm -4 am curfew, virus, the curfew has since been pushed tp 10.00 pm to 7 am with the government discouraging unnecessary movement.
This had a lot of negative social and economic impacts on business in the affected Counties.
Caroline Kemunto the director of Busia survival Organization says they are now appealing to the government to consider them as one of the essential service providers to receive covid-19 vaccine, adding that they interact with several people in their line of duty hence risking their lives.
“We appeal to the government to consider the key population community when making the decisions on covid-19 some of the decisions they arrive at affecting us directly, that means we have to be part of the decision making process. During the meetings by the task force on covid-19 we would wish to be present to give our views as one of the groups that are affected with covid-19. The government may not involve all of us, but through our leaders, the information will trickle down to our members.” She said.
“Most of our hotspots are closed down and the few remaining are the track drivers and as they move they mingle with others as we remain behind we interact with our families. This means we should be treated as essential service providers to avoid spreading the virus to our clients and families,” she added.
Veronica Were also know as Achibela is a Nairobi-based sex worker who was on a learning trip from their Busia counterparts said it is important for the government to consider them during the vaccination process.
She says the government has not been serious in addressing their plight as a sex workers community in fighting the covid-19, yet they mingle with hundreds of people in their line of duty.
Saying “With a membership of more than 40, 000 sex workers in Nairobi County, it is easy for the virus to spread to a lot of people if we are not vaccinated. That is why we are calling upon both the national and county government to consider us on war against covid-19.”
“In those taskforces on covid-19 nationally, we are not represented. We wish one of our own in those meetings so that she/he can speak on our behalf as sex workers,” she said.
Rosemary Kasiva a member of Soap Ambassadors, a sex workers group based in Nairobi, who was also on an exchange learning visit from Busia Survivors applauded the County government of Busia for rolling out the process of vaccinating their Busia counterparts.
“With this vaccination, our colleagues here will work with little fear of being infected with the covid-19 virus to a certain percentage, which is good for them. This kind of move should be emulated by the Nairobi County government where we operate from to help more than 40, 000 members group get their jab to enable them to work without fear of contracting the virus,” she noted.
