LEAVE THAT BUSINESS TO US: Ugandan Prostitutes Complain About Tight Competition from Foreign Sex Workers

Ugandan prostitutes have complained to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) of the country’s Internal Affairs Ministry that foreign sex workers have increased competition for customers, threatening the sustainability of their work.

The country is grappling with increasing numbers of illegal immigrants. For example, on July 05, the DCIC inspection team conducted an intelligence-led enforcement operation on illegal immigrants in the areas of Kabalagala, Kansanga, Muyenga and Ggaba Road in Kampala City, rounding up several people.

The DCIC says it had arrested and detained 127 suspects for further investigation and prosecution after they were found to be non-compliant with migration laws. The individuals detained, DCIC further revealed, included Eritreans, Ethiopians, South Sudanese, Somalis, Congolese and Chinese nationals.

On June 26, the DCIC enforcement team arrested 23 illegal foreign nationals, including Chinese, Indians and Pakistanis in an operation in Kawempe Division. “They will face prosecution. We urge all foreign nationals to legalize their stay,” the DCIC said in a statement.

The issue of illegal immigrants had become so serious that female foreigners had resorted to prostitution. Internal Affairs Spokesperson Simon Mundeyi has revealed that local sex workers (Ugandans) had reported to DCIC to rein in ‘foreign’ ladies selling themselves.” Mundeyi says that the foreign prostitutes had threatened to take over ‘business’ in the Kansanga area.

He added that these prostitutes from foreign countries had reached the extent of parading themselves outside the gate of one university in Kansanga to sell themselves. Mundeyi made it clear “that business could be left to Ugandans.”

Mundeyi’s call on the foreign prostitutes to leave the business for Ugandans had reporters in stitches. “Actually there are many Ugandan ladies who came here to complain about those ladies,” he continued, adding that the foreigners had “created a lot of competition” and “edging them out of the market.”