Sex workers invade Mbarara trade fair

May 31, 2004

HUNDREDS of sex workers relocated to Mbarara town on Thursday to catch up with the exhibitors attending the UMA western region trade fair.

By K. Muhanga

HUNDREDS of sex workers relocated to Mbarara town on Thursday to catch up with the exhibitors attending the UMA western region trade fair.

“We spent the whole night fighting with these people (sex workers) as they tried to force their way into the fenced off grounds.

They abused us in all sorts of ways, accusing us of not allowing them free entry to exhibit their goods,” a policeman manning Kakyeka Grounds, where the show is taking place, said on Friday.

UMA information officer Charlotte Kukunda said an entry ticket for showgoers cost sh1,000 each while exhibitors paid sh200,000.

“Some paid the fee but a big number refused, opting to work from outside the arena,” another policeman said.

At Club Memory, sex workers from Kampala and Masaka abused their local counterparts. “Mwe abasajja beeno muberamutya nabawala abatasoma?” (You men, how do you put up with uneducated girls?) a Kampala-based sex worker, identified as Grace, asked.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});