Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa
NAIROBI Kenya, February 4 – Nairobi mayor George Aladwa now says his statement on legalizing prostitution was just a proposal in response to demands by the call girls.
In a statement, the Nairobi Mayor said he was just airing his views and the matter was subject to debate by the public.
The issue of legalising prostitution has elicited terse words with a number of people interviewed by Capital Newsbeat saying that the topic is taboo and should never be discussed.
“It sounds funny because this is Africa and it should not be allowed. Someone who comes up with such an idea does not even care about his daughters,” said Otieno Oloo, an accountant in Nairobi.
“Everyone will wake up and do it. It is supposed to be illegal. How do you think about yourself? It is not a good thing,” said another businessman in the Central Business District.
They say the practice goes against tradition and should never be introduced in the country.
“Prostitution is something that cannot be accepted in Africa because even in terms of moral values it is unacceptable. Mayor Aladwa is misplaced and whatever his opinion has no place in this society.”
Aladwa had said that the City Council of Nairobi was considering relaxing its by-laws to allow commercial sex workers labour freely in the Kenyan capital.
He had said that the council was working to harmonise by-laws with provisions of the new Constitution before allowing commercial sex workers to operate without restraint.
He said the council would stop harassing the sex workers once laws were harmonised.
Commercial sex work is currently illegal in Kenya and those found practicing it on the streets are often harassed and arrested.
Curiously, only women are arrested whenever they are found plying the age-old trade while their male clients are seldom put behind bars.
In Nairobi, the police and council officers often conduct swoops on the streets where they arrest female commercial sex workers.
When presented to court, the women are often charged with loitering.
Last week, 26 women were arrested for the offence in Parklands and Westlands.
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