We Are Hustlers Here In Town! How Eldoret Commercial Sex Workers Want Ruto to Help Them

By Winnie Cherop

A section of commercial sex workers in Eldoret town has welcomed the Supreme Court ruling that confirmed Deputy President William Ruto as the President-elect.

And as Dr Ruto prepares to take over the government as the fifth President, the commercial sex workers are hoping his administration will support their ‘hustle’.

Previously, the President-elect has committed to supporting the group.

While on a visit to Makueni County in October 2021, Ruto encountered a group of commercial sex workers who sought his financial support.

The group lamented that they had been hit hard by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and hoped it would get support from the then Deputy President.

But responding to the request, Ruto pledged to support the Mtito Andei Commercial Sex Workers with Ksh1 million, but on the condition that they organize themselves into groups so that they can use the money as a start-up for a business.

But now that he is set to be the Head of State, the Eldoret Commercial Sex workers are asking that he helps them address several issues to ensure they have a better working environment.

Harassment

Top on the list is harassment they face daily from the county askaris famously known as Kanjos

“After the swearing-in of the president, we want to urge him to come here and rescue us from the kanjos and we are being beaten and harassed by them and they don’t bear with our situation,” said one of the commercial sex workers.

“We are hustlers here in town and this is just a business like any other. We have children and they need food, school fees and we pay rent,” she added.

Further, about the 2021 challenge for those in Mtito Andei to join an organized group, the Eldoret Commercial Sex workers said they had also done the same.

“He (Ruto) had asked us to form SACCOs and already we have them. Though it’s not that we love doing it, this is because we have no option and we have needs. We wish for the same thing that happened in Mtito Andei, a small business to us created by the president will save us,” said another twilight girl.

“People should know that this business depends on how you groom yourself. We respect our client’s spaces and that is why we make up to Ksh6,000 on good days. The least amount is Ksh500 and whenever our fellows face discriminations from our clients we are normally around to protect each other,” added another one.

Why do women opt to be commercial sex workers?

Since 1999, an estimate of 6.3 per cent of women nationally confessed to having exchanged sex for money, favours and even gifts.

The rate of sex workers in Kenya is said to have increased especially in urban areas and rural areas at 83.7 per cent and 70.1 per cent respectively.

Among some of the factors contributing to an increase in women engaging in commercial sex in Kenya are poverty and sometimes family conflicts and divorce.

However, for the Eldoret Commercial Sex workers, it was never their wish to join the venture which is not legal in Kenya.

“We have tried seeking employment even in small hotels but we are denied because we are not educated,” notes one of the women in the sector.

But even as they hope to get something from this illegal business, they also face different challenges.

“It’s so hard in our field because sometimes clients may want to get the service for free. Some men are usually very strong and may end up beating you due to disagreements of prices and failure to fulfil the promises,” says another commercial sex worker who operates along Oginga Odinga street in Eldoret town.

“We are discriminated against, disrespected and called names, but we can’t prevent them,” she adds.

They hope that the upcoming ‘Hustlers Government’ will help them, given the President-elect based his campaign on the bottom-up agenda.