By Andrew Irumba
Bunyoro: There has been a reported increase of cases of child prostitution in the Albertine Graben, where oil exploration is currently under way.
As a result of this worrying situation, parents and local leaders in the oil rich Albertine Graben have called for immediate government intervention to regulate the increasing influx of commercial sex workers in their area, saying they are tempting school girls to drop out of school to join the business.
Alex Obegiu, a resident of Nyakasene in Kabale parish, Buseruka Sub County, said since most men working in the oil and gas sector don’t travel with their wives, they end up luring young girls into commercial sex.
Several parents claim that numerous girls have been forced to drop out of school to join prostitution, which is a lucrative business in the area. According to the parents, the discovery of oil in the Albertine Graben has attracted many commercial sex workers in the area.
The girls are mainly employed in bars and lodges where they offer sex to patrons for between Shs10,000 to 30,000.
The commercial sex workers are common in Kabale trading center, Kaiso, Kiryatete, Fofo, Rwentali, Sebigoro, Nkondo, Kamugole, Kijangi, Buseruka trading center, Butaiba, Bugoigo, Walukuba and Kyehoro in the sub counties of Buseruka, Kyangwali, Kabwoya, Butaiba, Kahoora division and Kigorobya in Hoima, Kikuube and Buliisa districts.
Winnie Nyakabito, a resident of Kabale, said “Young girls as old as 14 years old have been forced to abandon school to join commercial sex to earn some money.” She wants government to act quickly and regulate the influx of commercial sex workers to the region, saying the future of their children is being ruined.
Joseph India, a resident of Buseruka, blames government for not doing enough to control the influx of commercial sex workers to the area. He says these prostitutes begin operating as early as 11:00Am even in the presence of government leaders and local authorities but nothing is done to restrain them.
Ali Tinkamanyire, the Buseruka Sub county LC 3 Chairperson admits that young girls are dropping out of school to join the commercial sex business. He fears that this could lead to the escalation of HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies in the area and could increase HIV/AIDS infections in the area.
