By Betty Luke
An Isiolo chief is on the spot over alleged sexual assault on some commercial sex workers during Tuesday night crackdown by police officers and national government adminstrators along the streets of Isiolo town.
The sex workers allege that the female adminstrator harassed some of their members and touched them inappropriately before they were bundled into a police vehicle and taken to Isiolo Police station where they spent a night.
One of them Shantel* claimed that the chief undressed her in the public during the crackdown within California area while another Bahati was harassed while at the police station.
“I could not question her because she was in company of some police officers,” Shantel told journalists.
Bahati* said the adminstrator touched her inappropriately while at the police station and when she complained, some of the officers allegedly ordered her to shut up.
“She wanted to parade me for a picture at the station while holding me on the shoulders but I refused,” she lamented Wednesday morning after they were released from the cells.
Another sex worker suffered injuries on her leg and hands after the chief reportedly pushed her to the ground.
“I tried running but she held my hand and pulled me back making me fall on the ground,” she claimed.
After their release, the group said, they were not allowed to record a statement over the previous night incident that occurred around 1am.
Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (Keswa) Upper Eastern Coordinator Diana Gatwiri and Isiolo branch Chairperson Nelly Kendi demanded that action be taken against the chief over the assault and undressing of their member.
The officials lamented that cases of harassment of their members by the police and chiefs were on the rise in the region and demanded protection from the government.
“Action must be taken against the chief for mistreating some of our members. If they had done anything wrong, she should have arrested and arraigned them to court not embarrassing them in front of other officers,” Ms Gatwiri said.
Ms Kendi said some of those harassed and arrested were ejected out of the lodgings while “serving” their customers who were reportedly not arrested.
“It is not the first time we are complaining about harassment. We have reported on several occasions but nothing has been done. Our hustle should be respected just like other jobs,” she said.
Complaining of recession, the sex workers said they did not benefit from recent county and national government food program that targeted families reeling from the biting effects of drought.
“We are struggling to sort our bills and provide for our children. Why can’t the government allow us earn a living in peace?” one of the workers posed.
On why they would not seek “decent” jobs, the sex workers said majority of them had previously tried business and it failed.
“Some of us had ventured into small businesses before joining commercial sex work,” Ms Kendi noted.
They said a Sh300, 000 grant they had received from former Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa before Covid-19 struck could not sustain them for long as businesses they had started collapsed due to the pandemic.
They had supposedly started salon and car washing businesses in the town.
“The collapse of the businesses forced us back into the streets. We appeal to local leaders to empower some of us if not all to leave the streets,” she appealed.
Asking the security agencies to allow them continue with their business uninterrupted like it happens in other towns, the sex workers said they were proud of the job which they said catered for their needs.
“There is no one who will come to pay your bills. We are not ashamed of this job because it enables us fend for ourselves and our families,” one of them maintained.
Security officials were unreachable for a comment over the chief’s misconduct even as some human rights activists demanded justice to the aggrieved women.
“A chief doing what they allege is unacceptable and should be investigated and charged if there is convincing evidence implicating her into the crime,” an activist who did not want to be named said.
