SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA — Residents of Kavumu village, also commonly known as Kigirigi zone in Nyamabuye sector, last week evicted fifty sex workers from their residences.

The affected area has been notorious for prostitutes and the residents and local leaders have been accused of being silent over the issue for years.

Concerned residents in the area wrote and signed an official letter, on Friday December 28, to the village leadership warning that the presence of the prostitutes posed a serious danger to the neighborhood.

The letter was addressed to Antoine Kayitare, the village leader; and it underlined more than five reasons why the ‘self proclaimed’ prostitutes should be thrown out of the zone.

The reasons cited included: too much noise and constant fights, open and day prostitution, obscenity, abuse of alcohol during working hours, and fear of instilling some of the named habits in young children in the area.

Upon receiving the letter, local leaders intervened, evicting about 50 young women, some with children, who were suspected of indulging in the vice.

Antoine Kayitare, the village leader couldn’t be reached for a comment by press time.

However, some residents said that the decision to evict the group was a ‘general cleansing’ move that had been long overdue.

"The prostitutes have been a menace and we couldn’t wait any longer. Now Kibirigi residence is a kind of paradise and hopefully this will improve our tarnished image.” Claudine Mukamusonera, one of the residents said.

None of the affected ladies could be reached for a comment, as most of them had vanished leaving their cave-like homesteads closed.

The eviction follows a bizarre incident in December, where two renowned prostitutes, in Gitarama town, burnt to death a 3yr-old infant after a quarrel with one of the residents who was reportedly their customer.

The two prostitutes have since been arrested by the area Police on charges of murder, according to sources.

Many residents in the area have recently protested the acts of these prostitutes; threatening to ‘deal’ with the situation if the leaders failed.

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