Asian young women trafficked to Uganda for sex activities- Immigration
Mr Simon Mundeyi, Internal Affairs ministry spokesperson. PHOTO/FILE
Police is holding an Indian national for allegedly trafficking into Uganda eight Indian, Somali and Nepali young women specifically for sexual activities.
The victims who have been deported back to their respective countries were captured last week, after the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with security agencies raided the Bollywood Masala Bar in Namuwongo where they were entertaining revelers.
Internal Affairs spokesperson, Mr Simon Mundeyi, told this publication on Monday that the operation was a tip off by some concerned members of the public who informed them about the ongoing “open day prostitution”.
“At Bollywood Masaala bar we found Indian and Nepalese women who had been trafficked into the country to carry out prostitution. We found out that they had come into the country as tourists and were given one month passes on entry but after expiring, they fraudulently renewed them,” Mr Mundeyi said.
Mr Mundeyi explained that the young girls and women were brought into the country by an Indian broker who promised them jobs where they would earn as much as $10,000 (Shs36 million).
According to investigations, on reaching Uganda, the young girls and women were then put in a house in Namuwongo where they were given all the required necessities and in the evening of particular days, they are transported to the bar for strip dancing.
“On days they are performing, the whole place is fully packed and entrance hiked to Shs300,000 whereas a bottle of beer goes for Shs15,000. The place is always full to capacity with many others still outside yearning to enter as the demand for these girls is always overwhelming,” Mr Mundeyi said.
Mr Mundeyi also noted that while use of private services of the girl costs between Shs1 million to Shs1.5 million, they [girls] are instead paid a paltry $50 (about Shs180,000).
The suspect, he said would be charged with human trafficking under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2009.
This Act, which is Uganda’s current Anti-Human Trafficking law, criminalises sex and labour trafficking, and anyone found culpable faces up to 15 years' imprisonment for offenses involving adult victims and life imprisonment for those involving children.
The Internal Affairs Ministry indicated that young women between the ages of 19 and 34 are always targeted, adding that they mostly come from Asian countries of India and Nepal, as well as African countries like Ethiopia and Somalia who are lured in the name of making money.
Investigations have also indicated that there are also girls from West Africa who are trafficked into the country and exploited sexually, noting that these are found in areas around Munyonyo and Kansanga in the upscale Kampala areas.
The 2022 report of the US Department of State placed Uganda under Tier 2 in fighting human trafficking, where the government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.
