Africanews
Whereas prostitution in Kenya is illegal, commercialised sex enterprise have found their way into the country's two main cities. They are licensed under the guise of massage parlours. They now act as potential breeding grounds for the dreaded HIV virus, pausing a grave danger to the young population. |
Prostitution involving young girls, both locals and foreigners, is rife in Kenya's two main cities, Nairobi and Mombasa. The trade is conducted under the guise of massage parlours, which have mushroomed in their numbers in the two cities.
According to investigations done and published by a local paper, Sunday Standard, last April 14, some of the so called massage parlours offered to their clientele, girls as young as 12 years old.
The investigations also revealed that the young girls were treated as "sex slaves by their masters who only pay them 25 per cent of what the parlour charges affluent clients for their services. Besides being "on duty" for 24 hour per day with no leave, the girls are a new potential breeding grounds for the dreaded AIDS virus as they offer unprotected sex at a higher price.
The investigations further revealed that the parlours are mainly owned and operated by foreigners though the girls offered are mainly Kenyans and a few from China, Thailand, Hong Kong and European countries.
It is still not clear how the young girls mainly of Asian origin find their way into the country to operate in the parlours. However, the presence of the Chinese girls could be attributed to the trade liberalisation in Kenya which has seen mass influx of Chinese investors into the country.
And for as little as US$ 10, rich men could fondle the young girls and thoroughly exploit them sexually.
Like many other African countries, Kenya's constitution outlaws prostitution, but unfortunately some corrupt civil servants now license the massage parlours when they know clearly that in actual fact they are prostitution dens.
The illegal and dehumanising trade is not operated behind the curtains, as would be suspected, but advertised in a local daily for all to see.
All one requires to access the sex-for-sale services is to call the advertiser and arrange for an appointment.
The stunning report of the lucrative business attracted angry reactions from a cross section of the Kenyan community.
Reacting to the organised prostitution report, Maendeleo ya Wanawake (national women's organisation) chairwoman Zipporah Kittony, strongly condemned the misuse of girls and urged the government to intervene. She lashed out at men who misuse young girls adding that the present society is awake and gender sensitive.
"It is the role of all women leaders to lift up the moral standards of young girls and women generally ...it is very discouraging to see men still considering women as objects" ,observed Kittony.
On the same issue, an Anglican prelate, Rev. Peter Njengaof the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi noted with concern that Kenya's moral fabric has disintegrated.
"It is sad that the very civil servants who are supposed to protect Kenyan morality are the very one issuing licenses for prostitution" added Njenga.
Eldoret (western Kenya) Catholic priests also strongly condemned the use of young girls for commercial sex and challenged the government to arraign before court those involved in the illegal business.
The priests, led by Fr. Francis Obondo, said it was pointless for the government to fight against corruption when the youths were being exploited and their future destroyed by some wealthy people.
"The future of the young generations faces doom unless the government protects them from the immoral practices being promoted by those who want to kill them (youth) in the process of enriching themselves", said Fr. Obondo on April 15.
The issue of commercial sex is an alien factor which did not exist in the black African culture.
Kenya is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, whose Article 18(3) provides that "State Parties to the Charter shall ensure the protection of the rights of the child as stipulated in international declarations and conventions."
And Article 27 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, to which Kenya is also a signatory alongside a host of other countries, provides that "States Parties to the present Charter shall undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and shall in particular take measures to prevent; (a) the inducement, coercion or encouragement of a child to engage in any sexual activity; (b) the use of children in prostitution or other sexual practices; (c)the use of children in pornographic activities, performance and materials.
Some of the suspects were reportedly suffering from sexually transmitted diseases after undergoing medical tests.
University of Nairobi lecturer, Prof. Maria Nzomohailed the police crackdown but moved quickly to point out that the action displayed gender bias saying that only women were being rounded up.
She claimed that some young girls may not have been aware of what they were doing and called on the government to involve other institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) in fighting the evil practice.
Prof. Nzomo stressed that unless the Registrar General's department, which licenses the trade is taken to task, the problem will not be solved.
So far, no action has been taken against the licensing department, owners of the massage parlours-cum-brothels in question, or any other of the men involved.
| CONTENTS | AFRICANEWS HOMEPAGE |
AFRICANEWS - Koinonia Media Centre, P.O. Box 8034, Nairobi, Kenya
tel/fax: 254.2.560385 - e-mail: [email protected]
AFRICANEWS on line is by Enrico Marcandalli