Nakuru's sex economy affecting businesses, agency warns
A survey done by the Nakuru Business Community Association shows that the number twilight girls in Nakuru town has spiked affecting day to day businesses. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- It is estimated that Nakuru’s red light district along Gusii road, Pandit Nehru road and Kenyatta Avenue has an average of between 50 –100 commercial workers during the day.
- The numbers increase during the night and hit up to 200 especially at the end of the month.
- According to a survey, the twilight girls, strategically position themselves outside business premises disrupting human traffic to shops.
The increasing number of commercial sex workers touting for business at the Central Business District in Nakuru during the day is scaring away potential investors and customers, a survey by the Nakuru Business Association (NBA) has revealed.
The Nakuru business community is now concerned that unless the county government and the local administration move into action they will be counting losses at the end of the year.
The survey says that the twilight girls some who are under age, strategically position themselves outside business premises disrupting human traffic to shops.
“These commercial sex workers stand in front of business premises and tout our customers which is unethical and embarrassing,” says the report.
The commercial sex workers are now considered as a big hindrance to normal operation of business in the city.
It is estimated that Nakuru’s red light district along Gusii road, Pandit Nehru road and Kenyatta Avenue has an average of between 50 –100 commercial workers during the day.
The numbers increase during the night and hit up to 200 especially at the end of the month.
EMBARRASSED WHILE SHOPPING
The business community through their umbrella body NBA says that most of their customers have opted to shop elsewhere to avoid the embarrassment of being touted as they enter shops by the twilight girls.
“The ballooning number of commercial sex workers is a real time financial problem as clients have been forced to do their shopping elsewhere to avoid embarrassment” said NBA Chairman Muchemi Mwangi.
He observed that the commercial sex workers are fond of touting clients as they enter shops and as they park their vehicles.
He said by standing right next to the entrance of their premises, the commercial sex workers were a hindrance and were demeaning their businesses.
“Our members have invested millions of shillings in their businesses and some of them are repaying huge bank loans and if the commercial sex workers are not evicted then some of them may close shops as it will not be possible for them to meet other overhead costs such as rent and licenses,” said Mr Mwangi.
He said that if the county government managed to evict an army of hawkers from the CBD, it should also apply the same tactics to remove all the commercial sex workers conducting their business at the CBD.
The survey was conducted for five days between September19-23 and involved 240 business community members.
