Sections of sex workers in Kampala have asked president Yoweri Museveni not to assent to a bill decriminalizing homosexuality and sex work in Uganda, Sexual offences bill,2019 that was recently passed by the Parliament.
Sex workers under their umbrella WONETHA have said that the bill once passed into law will violate their rights and interferences into their business.
According to the bill that was passed by parliament, a person who engages in unwelcome touch, patting, pinching or any other unsolicited physical contact with or makes sexually oriented comments, jokes, obscene expressions or offensive flirtations with an employee, student, patient or other person under his or her authority, knowing or having reason to believe that such conduct is not welcome or offensive…commits an offence and is liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding 2,000 currency points (Shs40 million).
Among other sexual offences include, any person who utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, makes direct or indirect sexual advances or requests whether verbal or written, commits an offence.
The bill proposes a life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of asexually harassing a woman.
The bill further proposes for a death penalty to any person who abuses a person with disability, an old person and infects him/her with HIV/AIDS.
Sex workers have however argued that the clauses in the bill restricts them since their business involves displaying parts of their naked bodies to attract more clients.
Stella Atyek, a sex worker in Ntinda a Kampala suburb expressed fears that when this is passed into law, it will give a room to security personnel to abuse their rights something that may hinder them from earning a living.
WONETHA chairperson Diana Natukunda says clauses in the bill limits voluntary testing for HIV/AIDS and other STDs which is likely put lives of sex workers at a risk of acquiring infections.
Non profitable organisations and Huma rights groups such as Alliance of Women Advocating for Change, Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) have since dismissed the bill saying that parliament did not make enough consultations.
HRAPF said the clauses discriminates LGBTI and sex workers.
“These clauses are regressive because they will fuel the continued violation, stigma and discrimination of LGBTI persons and sex workers in Uganda,” HRAPF said in a statement on the passed bill.
